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“STEADY NOW! KEEP HER HEAD STRAIGHT INTO THE WIND, 
The Y. M. C. A. Boys on Bass Island Pa,ge 57 


The 

Y. M. C. A. Boys 
on Bass Island 

Or 

The Mystery Russabaga Camp 


BY 

BROOKS HENDERLEY 
Author of “The Y. M. C. A. 
Boys of Cliffwood/' Etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW YORK 

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY 



7^— r 

r' ■ 

BOOKS FOR BOYS 

By 

BROOKS HENDERLEY 

i2mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 

Price per volume, 6o cents, postpaid. 

THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS SERIES 


THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS OF CLIFFWOOD; 
or The Struggle for the Holwell Prize 

THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND; 
or The Mystery of Ru^sabaga Camp 

{Other volumes in preparation) 

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY 
Publishers New York 


Copyright, 1916, by 
Cuppi.es & Leon Company 


The Y. M. C. A. Boys on Bass Island 



SEP 13 1916 


©CI,A437676 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 




PAGE 

1. 

The Scrub Baee Teams . 

. 


. 

I 

II. 

An Invasion oe Pigs 

. 



10 

III. 

The Boy Who Had Promised 

. 



19 

IV. 

Mr. Nocker Springs a Surprise 

. 



32 

V. 

A Bright Prospect Ahead 

. 



40 

VI. 

Making Camp on Bass Island 

. 



47 

VII. 

In the Grip of the Squall 

. 



56 

VIII. 

The First Night Out 

. 



63 

IX. 

The Rule of Order and Discipline 



72 

X. 

Things Begin To Vanish 

. 



79 

XL 

Mr. Holwell Gets the Welcoming 

Cheer 

86 

XII. 

Happenings of the Second Night 

. 



96 

XIII. 

The Mystery Grows Deeper . 

. 



103 

XIV. 

Trying To Figure It Out 

. 



115 

XV. 

Dan Tells Some Wholesome Truths 



123 

XVI. 

Was It a Wild Man of the Woods? 



129 

XVII. 

Dick’s Promise .... 




137 

XVIII. 

Setting the Trap 

. 



144 

XIX. 

A Day of Rest 

. 



148 

XX. 

A Mission of Mercy 

. 



155 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 
- XXL 
XXII. 
XXIII. 
XXIV. 
XXV. 
XXVI. 
XXVII. 
XXVIII. 
XXIX. 
XXX. 


The Brotherly Spirit 
What Nat Saw .... 
The Telltale Footprint 
Dan’s New Idea .... 
The Berry Pickers 
Poaching on Strange Preserves 
A Never-To-Be-Forgotten Campfire 
When the Pit Trap Worked 
Clearing Up the Mystery . 
Breaking Camp— Conclusion 


PAGE 

. 163 
. 169 
. 178 
. 188 

. 199 
. 206 
. 214 
. 222 
. 231 
. 239 


THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS 
ON BASS ISLAND 


CHAPTER I 

THE SCRUB BALL TEAMS 

“A DANDY drive, Peg!” 

“Good for a two-bagger, any day!” 

“Look at him cover ground, will you?” 

“Nobody’d believe Peg limps when he walks, 
to see him hustle like that in a game of ball !” 

“Look out. Peg, he’s going to get you at sec- 
ond!” 

“Slide, Peg! Slide, old scout!” 

Amidst a cloud of dust “Peg” Fosdick went 
down safely to second, the ball arriving just as 
he clutched the bag with his outstretched hand. 
Peg arose to his feet, brushed himself off, and 
waved a hand to his cheering mates on the side 
that was just then at bat. 

Cliffwood boys were having a glorious time on 
the green devoted to outdoor sports. Still, after 
all, these were only two scrub teams; for, some- 


2 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

how, up to the present time the bustling mill town 
on the Sweetbriar river had never mustered up 
enough energy to put a regular representative nine 
worthy of support in the field. 

Neighboring places, such as Creston, Emory- 
ville, and Barrtown, boasted good teams, and the 
boys of Cliffwood often found themselves openly 
taunted on account of their lack of zeal in the 
matter. 

“But things are liable to change from now on !” 
declared one of the boys on the bench, when 
casual mention of this lamentable fact was made. 
“It’s time Cliffwood woke up from this Rip Van 
Winkle sleep, and made its mark in the world.’’ 

“That time is going to come right away,” 
asserted the pitcher of his nine, a vigorous lad, 
Dick Horner by name, and who seemed to be a 
leader among the boys. 

“It’s as certain as can be, or my name isn’t 
Leslie Capes !” declared the catcher, who was Dick 
Horner’s most intimate chum. 

“Well, Cliffwood,” observed a third youth 
earnestly, “is a far different town from what it 
used to be before Mr. Holwell, the minister, and 
Harry Bartlett, leader of our local Y. M. C. A., 
organized the Boys’ Department.” 

“That’s what nearly every one tells us, Elmer,” 
returned the sanguine Dick. “And by the coming 
fall we hope to be able to put a decent football 


THE SCRUB BALL TEAMS 


3 


squad in the field, to stand for our home town.” 

“Fm mighty glad to hear that, Dick!” ex- 
claimed still another of the players, Phil Hark- 
ness by name. And then raising his voice to a 
shout he went on to say: “Three balls and two 
strikes, Andy! Make Nat put the ball over, and 
meet his fast clipper for a homer!” 

Almost immediately following the giving of 
this advice came the crack of the bat as it caught 
one of Nat Silmore’s speediest balls “on the 
nose.” The boy on second sprinted for home be- 
cause he knew that was the play, there being 
already two out. 

Away out in deep center Alonzo Crane made a 
vigorous effort to get the swift liner. -He was 
coming in on a gallop, hoping to take the’ ball in 
his outstretched hands before it could touch the 
ground. 

The onlookers saw Alonzo fairly hurl himself 
forward in a gallant attempt to make the spec- 
tacular play. Then he fell, rolled over several 
times, and arose finally with the ball held tri- 
umphantly above his head. 

Nat and his side emitted a roar of applause, 
and with wild whoops started toward the home 
plate, as though that play ended the inning. 

“Keep on running to second, Andy!” yelled 
Leslie Capes, excitedly. “He dropped the ball, 
and snatched it up again off the ground!” 


4 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Sure he did! I saw him do it!” added Phil 
Harkness, indignantly, for there were several 
players on the opposing side who, like Nat him- 
self, in times gone by, had been known to attempt 
just such sly tricks as this; and Alonzo was one 
of them. 

“Aw! what are you givin’ us?” shouted Nat, 
with one of his old-time bullying frowns. “That 
was the greatest play ever seen on these grounds I 
He snatched the ball right out of the air before 
it ever touched the ground. And he held tight 
through all his tumble in the bargain. Your man 
is out, Dick Horner, and you know it, too 1” 

There threatened to be a furious dispute, which 
would break up the game; for each side acted as 
if determined to hold its ground. Fortunately, 
just at that critical moment a gentleman came 
sauntering along and approached the squabbling 
ball players, whose voices were mingled in a warm 
discussion, while all sorts of accusations were 
flying broadcast. 

“What’s the trouble, boys?” asked the gentle- 
man, who, to judge by the cut of his coat, was a 
minister. 

The clamor ceased immediately. Even the tur- 
bulent Nat shrank back a little, as though un- 
willing that the Reverend Thomas Holwell 
should see one of his old time frowns on his face, 
for Nat was supposed to have broken away from 


THE SCRUB BALL TEAMS 


5 


his former life, and to be marching along the 
narrow road nowadays. 

“Why, it’s this way, Mr. Holwell,” explained 
Dick, himself quieting down considerably, for the 
minister was known to be the best friend the boys 
of Cliffwood had, and his unexpected appearance 
had cooled their ardor as nothing else could have 
done. “We say Alonzo dropped that liner and 
snatched it up again, which wouldn’t count for an 
out. Nat and his side all say he held It tight. So 
we’re up against a hard proposition, because 
neither side will give in.” 

“Oh! I think I can settle that dispute easily 
enough,” said Mr. Holwell, with a cheery smile. 
“You see, I was taking home this pair of opera 
glasses for my wife, after having had them 
repaired. As I came along I chanced to be test- 
ing them, and as luck would have It, I followed 
Alonzo as he ran forward to take that liner.” 

“Yes, sir!” said Dick, eagerly. “And if any- 
body could know just what happened at the time 
he rolled over you should, I guess.” 

“Alonzo did drop the ball, though he snatched 
it up Instantly,” said Mr. Holwell. “I saw him 
do it distinctly. Of course he Is just trying to 
have some fun out of the occurrence. Isn’t that 
so, Alonzo?” 

The boy In question turned fiery red, and his 
eyes fell under the steady gaze of the minister. 


6 THE Y. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“That’s what I was doing, Mr. Holwell,” he 
finally managed to say, with a nervous little 
laugh. “I knew there was a fine chance to have 
some fun teasing the other side, and I tried it. 
But I dropped the ball, all right. I did my best 
to hold on to the crazy old thing, though.” 

Dick and Leslie exchanged glances. They felt 
pretty certain that only for the opportune arrival 
of Mr. Holwell, Alonzo would have stuck to his 
story through thick and thin. Nat shrugged his 
broad shoulders, and looked disgusted at such 
signs of what he would call weakness. 

“Oh I well, if he owns up, of course the play 
goes,” he remarked, with a sneer, and an ugly 
glance at Alonzo. “Get back in your places, fel- 
lers ; and Peg’s run goes. Andy, take second, and 
count yourself mighty lucky. Anyhow, the rest 
of us really believed he held it tight.” 

Mr. Holwell presently left the scene of action 
and walked on, with a serious expression on his 
face. Some time before he and the young man 
who served as leader to the town Y. M. C. A. had 
organized a Boys’ Department, which gave prom- 
ise of doing a vast amount of good among the 
younger element in Cliffwood. 

There had been more or less trouble with Nat 
Silmore and several of his followers, although 
just at present they seemed to be getting on pretty 
well. Mr. Holwell knew boys “like a book,” 


THE SCRUB BALL TEAMS 


7 


however, and from the little Incident of the day 
he feared the “snake was scotched, not killed,” 
as the saying has it. 

While the boys are continuing their game after 
the sudden dispute had been settled by an um- 
pire whose decision none of them ventured to 
question, a few words concerning Dick and his 
comrades may not come in amiss, especially to 
such readers as may not have read the preceding 
volume of this series, entitled, “The Y. M. C. A. 
Boys of Cliffwood.” 

Dick Horner lived with his mother, grand- 
father and little sister Sue in a neat cottage close 
to the bank of the Sweetbriar river. They had 
been barely able to get along on the veteran’s 
pension and the proceeds from a small investment. 
Suddenly bad news reached them to the effect that 
part of their little property had been swept away. 

As has already been related in the previous 
story, a splendid thing happened for the Horners, 
and they were now comfortably fixed, so that 
Dick need not worry concerning his future. 

Some of his friends were Leslie Capes, Dan 
Fenwick, Phil Harkness, Elmer Jones, Andy Hale, 
“Peg” Fosdick, “Clint” Babbett and Fred Bon- 
nicastle. 

Among the new members of the Boys’ Club 
was Asa Gardner, a boy whose reputation had not 
been very good in times past, for he had always 


8 THE F. M.C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

been called “light-fingered,” being prone to take 
things that did not belong to him. His mother, 
whom Asa dearly loved, had died not long before, 
and the boy was said to have solemnly promised 
her at the last that he would never again sur- 
render to his strange weakness that had amounted 
to what is called “kleptomania” — an itching to 
take the property of others when an opportunity 
arises. 

Some of the boys were doubtful as to Asa’s 
ability to overcome his faults; but Mr. Holwell 
stood by the lad, and stoutly backed him up. 
Dick, too, had a certain amount of faith in Asa, 
for reasons of his own, in spite of the fact that 
Dan Fenwick, who was more skeptical, had more 
than once urged him to “keep an eye on that 
Asa.” 

Dick had been enabled to do Old Jed Nocker, 
the richest merchant in Cliffwood, a great favor, 
whereby he found happiness in the possession of 
a grandchild, little Billy, together with his only 
son’s widow, Tilly Nocker. Since that time Mr. 
Nocker had lost much of his former cynicism 
regarding boys in general, and found numerous 
opportunities to stretch out a helping hand to the 
growing Junior Department of the local Y. M. 
C. A. 

It was the unexpected home coming of Silas 
Langhorne, a brother of Mrs. Horner, from the 


THE SCRUB BALL TEAMS 


9 


Alaska gold fields, that had brought contentment 
and peace to Dick’s family. That was a strange 
and dramatic homecoming, for an account of 
which the reader is referred to the previous vol- 
ume of this series. These summer days were 
happy ones in the Horner cottage, and little 
seven-year-old Sue, Dick’s sister, went singing 
about all the time. 

The boys had settled down once more to their 
game, and the greatest interest was seizing upon 
them, with the score a tie, when all of a sudden 
Phil Harkness, out in center field, was seen to be 
waving his arms excitedly as he gave vent to a 
series of shouts. 

“Hey I look yonder!” they plainly heard him 
calling. “See all that smoke, would you? It’s 
Bratton’s barn afire!” 


CHAPTER II 


AN INVASION OF PIGS 

There is nothing under the sun capable of 
exciting a crowd of lively boys as much as a fire. 
Consequently when the ball players saw the smoke 
pouring from Bratton’s barn they instantly for- 
got all about their game, even with the score a 
tie, two out, Dick to the bat, a runner on third, 
and but a single hit needed to win for his side. 

Helter-skelter they ran toward the scene, most 
of them shouting “Fire!” as they went, and thus 
increasing the already growing confusion. The 
clang of the suspended locomotive steel rim struck 
by a hammer added to the din. People came run- 
ning from every direction toward the Bratton 
place, about which a crowd had already collected. 

Silas Bratton was a character in Cliffwood. He 
had always been at odds with everybody in the 
town, and seemed to delight in annoying others. 
There are just such contrary people in nearly every 
community. 

For one thing the man persisted in keeping a 
host of small pigs about his place. The authori- 


10 


AN INVASION OF PIGS 


11 


ties made him confine them, but even at that they 
were a constant source of trouble to the neigh- 
bors; which was apparently just what Mr. Brat- 
ton wanted. He was always in some sort of law- 
suit with people, but, possessing means, he hired 
the best lawyers, and usually came out of the 
affairs victorious. 

“Wonder how it started?” gasped Leslie, as he 
ran alongside Dick and Dan. 

“Huh !” grunted Dan, always suspicious, 
“wouldn’t surprise me one little bit if somebody 
just set it going. You know how they detest Brat- 
ton, and lots of people will laugh themselves sick 
if his barn — ^yes, and house too — goes up in 
smoke.” 

“Better not say that again, Dan,” cautioned 
Dick. “It might get you into a peck of trouble 
if some friend of Bratton’s chanced to hear you.” 

The boys soon reached the scene of excitement. 
The smoke was pouring out of the barn worse than 
ever. Perhaps it was a case of spontaneous com- 
bustion, for oily waste and rags often take fire, 
especially during the warm summer months. No 
one seemed to be bothering his head as to what 
had caused the fire; it was enough for all to see 
that the tongues of flame had commenced to spit 
through the billowing smoke, showing that the 
conflagration was becoming serious. 

When eighteen lively boys are suddenly brought 


12 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


upon the scene, something is apt to be doing. Nat 
and a few of the others began immediately to see 
a line chance to have some fun out of the affair. 

“Hey! let’s try to throw some water on the 
fire, fellers!” shouted Nat; but those who knew 
him best surmised that it was the hope of finding a 
chance for a prank rather than a desire to assist in 
saving Mr. Bratton’s property that urged him on. 

There was a rush forward, and many of the 
boys started to scale the fence. One of the gates 
was thrown open, and immediately several squeal- 
ing pigs commenced to run down the road. 

“Hi ! shut that gate again, you fools !” shouted 
the owner of the premises, who, in his excitement, 
was running back and forth, starting to do one 
thing and then changing to another. “D’ye want 
to let all my valuable pigs break away?” 

“Here come the firemen on the run!” a voice 
was heard to call out, one of the boys perched on 
top of the high fence being the alert scout to con- 
vey the news. 

Cliffwood firemen had made a good reputation 
for themselves in times past. It was a volunteer 
department, but they owned a good engine, as well 
as a hose cart and a ladder truck. 

Galloping horses brought them quickly to the 
scene of the fire. When they learned whose barn 
was in danger of being burned down, some of the 
members of the department may have felt loath 


AN INVASION OF PIGS 


13 


to work as hard as usual, for they detested Mr. 
Bratton. 

The foreman, however, who was the town 
blacksmith, would not allow any shirking on the 
part of his followers. So the hose was run out, 
the engine started up, and it was not long before 
a stream of water began to fall upon the smoulder- 
ing hay that had been the main cause of the 
smoke. 

Meanwhile, as seems necessary at all fires in 
country towns, some of the men began to chop at 
the sides of the barn, and smash in the windows — 
“to let the smoke out, and give the men who 
handled the hose nozzle a chance to play on the 
seat of the fire,” it was explained. Many who 
witnessed these energetic labors, however, could 
give a good guess that there were other things 
back of the professional instinct. 

While all this was going on, more and more of 
the grunting and squealing pigs managed to get 
away, despite the apparent frenzied efforts of the 
fire fighters to prevent their egress. They were 
darting this way and that in every direction. Some 
ran between the legs of the spectators, and girls 
screamed in real or imaginary terror as the agile 
and alarmed little pigs appeared in their midst. 

As the fire was already diminishing in vigor, 
and gave promise of proving a disappointment so 
far as spectacular effect went, the boys seemed 


14 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


bent on finding some outlet for their activities in 
chasing wildly after the noisy little beasts, that 
usually eluded capture in a remarkable way. 

Many were the loud shrieks of laughter that 
arose when some one plunged forward with out- 
stretched hands, only to clutch thin air as the active 
pig suddenly doubled, and eluded his grasp. 

Dan had taken after an old sow that was giving 
vent to loud and ominous grunts while running in 
a zigzag manner among the crowds. He must 
have tripped at a critical second, for suddenly Dan 
was seen astraddle of the broad-backed animal, 
trying to keep from tumbling, and evidently much 
surprised at finding himself having a ride. 

However, Dan soon tumbled off, selecting a 
soft spot for the feat, and arose to his feet not 
much hurt by his adventurous ride. Boylike, he 
immediately decided to stick to it that he had car- 
ried the trick through purposely, to show what a 
fine rough-rider he would make. 

About this time Elmer Jones tugged at the 
sleeve of Dick’s coat. 

“Look at Nat and his bunch, every one of ’em 
trying to corral a squealing porker,” he called out. 
“I wonder what he’s got up his sleeve? I heard 
Nat tell Dit Hennesy he wanted every fellow to 
get a pig apiece.” 

“Oh! I shouldn’t be surprised if they expect 
Bratton ’ll be offering a reward for the safe return 


AN INVASION OF PIGS 


15 


of his ugly pets; and it’ll be easy money for their 
crowd,” remarked Leslie; and then burst into a 
roar of laughter when one of the boys in question 
stumbled and fell flat, to have a whole drove of 
the pigs scamper directly over him. 

Dick and his chums would only too gladly have 
assisted in putting the blaze out, because it would 
have been great fun for them. They had done 
something of the sort not a great while back, when 
the house next to that of Mr. Nocker had caught 
on fire, and precious lives were placed in peril. 

In the present instance it happened that there 
was really little or no chance to play the part of 
heroes. The gallant fire fighters poured enough 
water on the already damp hay to smother the last 
spark, and in order to feel in part repaid for their 
lively run in the heat of the afternoon were doing 
more or less smashing around. They felt confi- 
dent that all damages would be settled by the fire 
insurance companies with whom so careful a man 
as Mr. Bratton undoubtedly held policies. 

Mr. Bratton, indeed, seemed to be more con- 
cerned about the disappearance of some two 
dozen of his pigs than any damage his barn had 
sustained. Perhaps this was because the animals 
were not included in the insurance; or it might be 
he suspected the fire to have been part of a plot 
on the part of disputing neighbors to rid them- 
selves of a pest. 


16 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Here, bring those pigs back to this other build- 
ing ! Do you hear me ?” he was shouting to some 
of the people who had managed to secure a few 
of the alarmed pigs, though it was all they could 
do to hold them. 

They resented the tone of authority conveyed 
by his manner and words, and on that account two 
men immediately released their prisoners. 

“Take them yourself, Silas Bratton !” called out 
one of these. “Since when have we been in your 
employ?” 

“Drat the pigs!” said one woman, with an ex- 
pression of disgust on her face. “When I first 
heard it was Bratton’s place that had caught fire 
I began to hope Fd smell roast pork. But it seems 
the whole nest of ’em must have come through 
scot free. They’ll be chasing all over town.” 

“Glad of it,” said another neighbor, smiling 
broadly. “I wish some bad spirit would enter into 
the drove, just as it did long years ago in Pales- 
tine, and cause the beasts to run down into the 
river to be drowned. It’d be a good riddance of 
rubbish, say 1 1” 

The excitement was gradually dying out. Some 
of the escaped pigs had been recovered, but many 
of them had vanished. Perhaps strays would be 
picked up here and there around Cliffwood for 
some time to come, especially if the crusty owner 
thought fit to offer a reward for their return. 


AN INVASION OF PIGS 


17 


“I guess our game is all knocked to flinders by 
this riot,” remarked Leslie, as he stood and 
watched the firemen finish the last stroke of their 
business by turning the stream of water into a hole 
that had been cut in the side of the barn. 

“Oh! we couldn’t get the boys together again 
after this!” declared Peg, who was one of the 
group. “Three of the other side have disap- 
peared — Nat, Dit and Alonzo Crane. And say, 
let me tell you, every one of them had a pig in his 
arms the last I saw of them.” 

“That’s right,” added Dan; “and running off 
with the same in the bargain. I wonder what’s in 
the wind? If they were meaning to camp out soon 
I’d guess you’d get the smell of roast pork if you 
happened to stroll near their hideout. But any- 
way, when it comes to playing all sorts of prac- 
tical jokes, Nat takes the cake.” 

“There’s something up, you can depend on it,” 
asserted Leslie, firmly. “We know Nat too well 
to believe he just wanted to save those porkers for 
Mr. Bratton. Keep your eye on Nat, and you’ll 
hear something drop before long.” 

“Oh! bother Nat anyway,” said Peg; “he’s 
always doing something to keep himself in the 
limelight. What interests me more than any of 
his capers just now is trying to guess where we’ll 
land about that summer camp we’re thinking of 
starting next week.” 


18 THE Y, M, C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Well, we may have some news at the meeting 
to-night,” explained Dick, “because Dr. Madison 
promised to run over and see about that Morley 
Camp Mr. Holwell thought would suit us in every 
way.” 

“I was hugging some hope to my heart we 
might get a chance to go up to Lake Russabaga,” 
grumbled Dan. “Somehow IVe always hankered 
after that place since the time we ran up there on 
our wheels and stayed one night, camping under 
the hemlocks.” 

“It is a dandy place, all right,” admitted Dick. 
“For one, Fd like to spend a week or so up there 
on Bass Island. But there isn’t much chance of 
our getting there on this trip, Fm afraid.” 

The fire being now a thing of the past, the boys 
started for home. The last they saw of Mr. Brat- 
ton he was counting his pigs, and declaring he 
would have the law on any one found guilty of try- 
ing to harbor one of the escaped animals. More 
or less sly laughter was being indulged in by the 
spectators, who seemed rather well pleased at the 
calamity that had befallen their quarrelsome 
neighbor. 

“You see none of the other nine has showed'up 
to finish the game,” remarked Dick, shortly after- 
wards, as they neared the ball ground; “so we’ll 
have to call it a draw. See you this evening at 
the meeting, fellows. So-long!” 


CHAPTER III 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 

One night a week the boys comprising the 
Junior Department of the local Y. M. C. A. held 
a meeting in the room in the building Cliffwood’s 
citizens had presented to the organization that 
was doing so much good work for young men in 
the community. 

On certain afternoons they were also allowed 
free use of the gymnasium. A comparatively new 
swimming pool was enjoyed by many after they 
had exercised. Then there was a bowling alley, 
and some of the more expert among the boys ran 
up pretty high scores. 

On the night after the ball game on the com- 
mons and the fire at the Bratton barn, the boys 
commenced gathering before the time appointed 
for the special meeting to take place. Little knots 
talked seriously as they came together, for it was 
known that Dick meant to bring with him a report 
of the success or failure attending their efforts to 
secure the camping grounds owned by a Mr. Mar- 
ley on the small lake named after him. 

19 


20 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Some of you fellows,” Dan Fenwick was say- 
ing to a group around him, “who didn’t happen to 
be at the ball game to-day will be interested to 
know that Dick says we’re going to have a foot- 
ball eleven this fall, to try to hold up the honor 
of Cliffwood with the rest of the towns around 
this end of the woods.” 

“Glad to hear that, Dan!” exclaimed one lad, 
warmly. 

“Always said we ought to do something to show 
our colors,” added another. “And it’s come all 
because of Mr. Howell and his scheme for get- 
ting up this Boys’ Department of the Y. M. C. A. 
That’s done the trick! You don’t run across 
many fellows loafing on the street corners these 
nights. They’d rather be in here reading the 
magazines, or taking part in some of the things 
that are going on every little while.” 

“And there’s no reason,” a third went on to say, 
boldly, “why Cliffwood shouldn’t have a hockey 
team, and a cracking good baseball nine next sea- 
son, to boot. We’ve got the stuff all right. With 
good backing we might even hope to fetch a trophy 
home with us once in a while.” 

“There’s Mr. Bartlett, going to call the meeting 
to order,” remarked Dan. 

At this speech every one of the boys settled 
down in a seat; for these meetings were usually 
conducted with as much decorum and order as 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 21 


those carried on by the older members of the 
Y. M. C. A. organization. 

Harry Bartlett usually presided at these gath- 
erings of the boys’ club, but he took pleasure in 
frequently turning the meeting over to Dick, who 
had been duly elected to the office. This evening 
as soon as the meeting had been called to order 
he asked Dick to 'take the chair. 

The secretary was just beginning to call the roll 
when there came a series of squeals and grunts. 
At the same time three small pigs were seen run- 
ning wildly about the room, creating much excite- 
ment as they darted back and forth under the 
chairs and amidst the legs of twenty-odd boys 
gathered there. 

Every one knew that Nat and his two cronies 
had liberated the pigs, for they were standing in 
the doorway and laughing heartily at the frantic 
efforts of the boys to catch the dodging pigs. All 
thought of business was suspended until this duty 
had been accomplished, after which the offending 
pigs were summarily ejected from the building. 

Nat pretended to feel sorry over it. 

“We meant to lug the little critters over to Mr. 
Bratton’s house,” he went on to explain, “to find 
out if he meant to offer a reward for their safe 
return. But now they’re loose again, and in the 
night nobody could ever catch the slippery imps. 
We were goin’ to stop in and let you know we’d 


22 THE F. M.C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


be back this way before long, when they broke 
loose on us. But it’s all right anyway, and no 
damage done, I reckon.” 

Of course every one knew the incident was in- 
tended to be one of Nat’s famous practical jokes, 
but since the excitement had now died down, and 
Mr. Bartlett said nothing to the contrary, Dick 
concluded to forget it. 

“The meeting will again come to order,” he 
called out, vigorously rapping the table with the 
gavel, borrowed from the seniors. “The secre- 
tary will start over again with roll call.” 

This duty having been carried out, the regular 
business of the meeting was next in order. It 
could easily be seen that all of the boys present 
displayed more or less anxiety to hear the reports 
of certain of the committees. 

“I’ll ask the vice-president to occupy the chair 
while I make my report as the commitee of one to 
call on Doctor Madison and find out what our 
chances are of getting Camp Marley.” 

When Dick made this remark he vacated his 
seat, Leslie taking his place temporarily. Every 
boy present leaned forward and glued his eager 
eyes on Dick. 

“It isn’t just the thing for the presiding officer 
of an organization,” began the one who was on 
his feet, “to act on a committee; but in this case 
it happens that I started the business with Doctor 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 23 


Madison, and he asked me to drop in and see him 
this evening when on the way here. He went out 
to Mr. Marley’s this afternoon as he expected. 
Fm sorry to tell you he brought back bad news 
for us.” 

Some of the expectant ones emitted groans at 
hearing this. 

“IFs all off, then,” said Dan Fenwick. “I just 
thought things would fall flatter than a pancake 
when the Cliffwood boys started to do anything 
worth while. It’s hard luck, that’s what. We’re 
pursued by a hoodoo, I believe.” 

“Go on and tell us the worst, Dick!” urged Peg 
Fosdick. 

“Yes, we can stand it all right, I should say,” 
added Elmer Jones, grimly. “P’r’aps one knock- 
down may make us wake up, and think of some 
other way of spending our summer vacation.” 

“Mr. Marley sent word that we had made our 
application just three days too late,” continued 
Dick, smiling sadly. “He’s promised the camp 
on his lake to a party of fellows coming over from 
Emoryville. They belong to the scouts there, I 
understand, and mean to stay most of the sum- 
mer, doing all sorts of stunts.” 

As this meeting had been called especially to 
learn about the result of their effort to secure a 
good camping ground, interest began to subside 
as soon as Dick had made his depressing report. 


24 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Most of the boys looked gloomy. They had been 
counting so much on this outing that their disap- 
pointment was keen. 

“Remember this doesn’t mean that we’ve got to 
give the scheme up altogether,” Dick told a group 
around him after the meeting had been hastily 
adjourned. “There are more places than Lake 
Marfey that can be used for camping, though we’d 
like it a heap better if we could be near the water. 
Let every fellow hustle, and try to get track of 
another good site, so as to report to-morrow night 
when we have our regular meeting here.” 

Even Nat looked troubled, for he, too, had 
counted on having the time of his life, if once the 
boys of the junior organization found themselves 
in camp. Nat was always looking for new oppor- 
tunities to play some of his jokes, and he believed 
he would find many splendid chances under the 
novel surroundings of camp life. 

Asa Gardner walked part way home with Dick 
on this night, and Leslie soon caught up with them. 
Asa was a pale lad who needed outdoor exercis€ 
very much. He had been greatly depressed by 
the fact of their failure to obtain permission to 
camp on the shore of Lake Marley. 

“Oh! you don’t know how much I’ve been 
counting on getting a week or two out in the open 
air,” he confided to Dick, as the three of them 
walked along. “And besides, you promised to 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 25 

show me a whole lot of things about living in the 
woods that Fd just love to hear about, Dick. My 
mother told me I ought to stay outdoors all I 
could, for you know I once had an older brother 
who died from lung trouble.” 

“Well, don’t give it up yet, Asa,” Dick told 
him. “Some of us are not going to throw up the 
sponge so easy as all that. Wait and see what can 
be done. I’m glad that you seem to be enjoying 
the club. Mr. Holwell takes a lot of interest in 
you, I notice. He told me only yesterday that 
he expected to see the day when you’d be up 
among the leaders, after you got well started.” 

“Mr. Holwell is the best man living,” said Asa, 
warmly. “When he’s talking to me I just seem 
to feel that I could do anything in the world to 
please him. He makes you see things the way he 
does. If I ever do amount to a row of beans it’ll 
be through Mr. Holwell, and not because it was 
in me.” 

“You’re wrong there, Asa,” said Dick, kindly. 
“It’s got to be in you first of all, but he knows 
just how to draw it out. And any fellow who 
does things the way Mr. Holwell advises is bound 
to climb the ladder, as sure as he lives.” 

Asa left the others soon afterward, as his home 
lay in a different direction. 

“I don’t know just what to make of that chap,” 
said Leslie, as he and Dick continued on their 


26 THE Y, M, C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


way. ‘^‘He used to be the sneakiest fellow going, 
and was always getting things in his pockets that 
belonged to others. Just couldn’t help it, Fve 
heard people say, for he was like one of his uncles 
who used to be a shady financier down around 
Wall Street, New York City, and always grabbing 
things.” 

Dick laughed a little at the queer conceit. Leslie 
was always saying odd things calculated to make 
others smile, it seemed. 

‘‘Well, if Asa has really conquered that weak- 
ness,” Dick went on to say soberly, “he deserves 
a heap of credit. Other fellows, who never knew 
what it was to feel that itching come over them so 
they just couldn’t resist a chance to take some- 
thing, would never understand what the poor fel- 
low has been up against.” 

“You seem to believe he’s really and truly re- 
formed, Dick.” 

“I certainly do,” returned the other boy, 
warmly. “And if you care to hear why I’ll ex- 
plain, though only if you promise never to breathe 
a word of it.” 

“Count on me to keep the secret, Dick. I’ll be 
as dumb as any oyster you ever saw, so fire away.” 

“Listen, then,” resumed the other, seriously. 
“One day about a week or so ago I was sent on 
an errand, and crossed the town graveyard to cut 
a corner. Somehow, when I was about half-way 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 27 


over, I thought I heard a voice, and yet I couldn’t 
see any one at first. I confess I was filled with 
curiosity, and looked around. Then I saw some- 
thing move, and I stepped that way as softly as I 
could.” 

“Oh I then it was Asa,” interrupted Leslie, feel- 
ingly. “And the chances are he was at his 
mother’s grave.” 

“That’s where I found him,” said Dick, wink- 
ing hard; “though I didn’t let him know I was 
around. He was lying there with his arms out- 
spread, poor chap, and I guess he must have felt 
that his mother could hear him saying what he did, 
for it was to her he kept talking, now and then 
stopping to cry a little. I tell you, Leslie, it gave 
me a queer feeling to hear him; and pretty soon 
I slipped away without his knowing I’d been 
around.” 

“What was he saying, Dick?” asked the other 
boy, with an intake of his breath. 

“As near as I can remember it,” replied Dick, 
“he said something like this: ‘Oh, Mother! it’s 
hard to know you’re lying here all alone. But I’ll 
never forget what I promised you, and I’m trying 
with all my might and main to fight it out. I’ll 
win, too. Mother, I promise you I will 1 But oh ! 
if I could only see you once more I’d be so 
happy!’ ” 

Leslie was silent for a short time after Dick 


28 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


said this. He was not quite sure of his voice, 
which did sound a bit unsteady when he finally 
spoke. 

“I’m sorry now I ever believed Asa was bound 
to fall back again into his old ways, Dick. But 
Dan keeps on saying mean things about him, 
because once, you know, Asa stole something he 
valued a heap, and Dan has never quite forgotten 
it. After what you heard I reckon he will win 
out, and for one I’m going to help him all I can. 
The poor fellow needs friends to back him, just 
as Mr. Holwell said.” 

“That sounds just like you, Leslie,” remarked 
Dick, slapping his chum heartily on the back at 
the same time. “And I’m with you every time. 
We may be of some help to poor lonely Asa; and 
anyway he’ll feel stronger if he sees that we believe 
in him.” 

“Well, here’s where I have to say good night, 
Dick,” the other remarked, a few minutes later. 

“It’s early still, Leslie. Why not come with me 
over to Mr. Nocker’s house. He’ll be expecting 
me after the meeting.” 

“Hello! what’s in the wind now?” demanded 
Leslie, with a vein of boyish curiosity in his voice. 

“Oh! nothing much,” came the answer. “I 
promised to let the deacon know how the meeting 
turned out, that’s all. You remember he’s taking 
a whole lot of interest nowadays in everything that 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 29 


concerns boys, and especially the fellows belonging 
to the Juniors of the Y. M. C. A.” 

“That’s right; he is for a fact,” said Leslie, 
with a laugh. “It is one of the latter-day miracles, 
my folks say. Time wasn’t so long ago when 
Deacon Nocker seemed just to despise all boys. I 
guess it was because he made a foozle of bringing 
up his own son, who got in trouble, ran away from 
home, and left a wife and child when he died.” 

“Well, we had something to do with making the 
old gentleman fall in love with his own grand- 
son,” chuckled Dick in turn. “For that, it seems 
he’s never forgiven us, for he keeps trying to do 
us favors right along.” 

They continued walking, and presently turned 
in at a gate. The grounds belonging to Deacon 
Nocker’s place were quite extensive. He was the 
richest storekeeper in Cliffwood, and had been a 
surly old fellow until recently, when a marvelous 
change for the better had come over him. 

The deacon himself let them in, and his thin 
face was wreathed with a smile as they shook 
hands heartily with him. People used formerly 
to say that it felt like touching a snake to grasp 
the deacon’s cold hand. But that was when his 
heart was chilly too. Nowadays he was smiling 
all the day long, and really there was a vigor in 
the way he squeezed an outstretched hand that 
amazed his fellow townsmen. 


30 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Little Billy wanted to stay up when he heard 
you were coming over later,” he was telling Dick, 
as he ushered the boys into his library, where his 
daughter-in-law, Tilly, was seated, doing some 
sewing at the table. 

“Fm sorry he couldn’t,” remarked Dick, shak- 
ing hands with the pretty mother of the youngster, 
and who always had a smile for this boy friend 
who had done so much to assist her to make peace 
with Billy’s stern grandfather. 

“I have just come downstairs after putting him 
to bed,” she told Dick. “I wish you could hear 
him at his prayers. He always insists on remem- 
bering you after he mentions his ‘darling mother’ 
and his ‘grand-daddy.’ You’re Billy’s one hero, 
Dick. He will never forget how you saved him 
from the fire,” she added, referring to an incident 
already related in my previous story. 

“Well, he’s a dear little chap, that’s a fact,” 
remarked the boy, turning red with confusion as 
he always did when being praised. “But we’ve 
only stopped in as I promised you I would, Mr. 
Nocker, to report the poor success we’ve had so 
far in finding a suitable camp-site.” 

The deacon raised his eyebrows, nor could 
Leslie believe that he looked in the least sorry. 

“Tell me how you came out with regard to that 
site on Lake Marley,” requested the deacon. 

“We had news through Doctor Madison that 


THE BOY WHO HAD PROMISED 31 


it has been promised to the scout troop over in 
Emoryville,” Dick went on to say. ‘‘So far we 
seem to be up in the air as to just where we can go. 
But, of course, we’ll find some place or other.” 

“When do you have your next meeting?” asked 
Mr. Nocker, as the boys prepared to take their 
departure. 

“To-morrow, sir, is the regular night for it,” 
he was told. “Every one has been asked to pick 
up any information he can in connection with an- 
other camp-site.” 

“Well, I certainly hope that you will be suc- 
cessful in finding something to suit you, boys,” the 
deacon said, as they reached the door. “If I can 
be of any help, let me know, won’t you?” 

“We certainly will, with pleasure, sir, and thank 
you for the offer.” 

As Dick said this he and his chum strode toward 
the gate. Leslie was muttering to himself in a 
peculiar way he had. A minute later he broke out 
with : 

“I don’t believe the deacon cares very much 
whether we get a camp or not, Dick. He was 
chuckling to himself most of the time, and rubbing 
his hands together like a miser. Perhaps he’s 
getting tired of playing godfather to a pack of 
boys.” 

“Wait and see,” said Dick, mysteriously, and 
soon afterwards the chums separated. 


CHAPTER IV 


MR. NOCKER SPRINGS A SURPRISE 

“Here we are again, right side up with care I” 
remarked Dan Fenwick on the following night, as 
he burst into the meeting-room of the handsome 
Y. M. C. A. building, accompanied by two other 
lads almost as noisy as himself. 

“And it looks as if we might have a cracking 
good crowd here to-night,” added Elmer Jones, as 
he glanced around at the numerous occupants of 
the chairs. “Here’s our new member, Humbert 
Loft, the nephew of our high-brow town librarian 
who wanted us to read nothing but classics and 
the dead languages, instead of splendid stories for 
boys written by our favorite authors.” 

“Yes, but who got beautifully left in the lurch 
when we started our own circulating library, every 
book of which has had the approval of Mr. Hol- 
well, and is both clean and uplifting,” observed 
Peg Fosdick, who made the third of the trio of 
newcomers. 

“I understand,” Dan went on to say, exultantly, 
“there are more than a hundred and thirty vol- 
32 


MR, NOCKER SPRINGS A SURPRISE 33 


umes on hand now, and Leslie’s Uncle Henry has 
promised us another batch just as soon as he can 
run down to the city and look them all over, to be 
sure they are of the right sort.” 

“There are three of the mill boys here to-night 
— Eddie Grant, Ban Jansen and Cub Mannis,” 
whispered Elmer. “I know Dick will be glad of 
that, and Mr. Holwell too, because they get 
around so seldom. Eddie said one night that they 
were usually too tired out after their work.” 

“Mr. Holwell says he is more interested in get- 
ting those fellows here than in any of the rest 
of us,” Dan remarked, confidentially. 

“Oh, that’s something everybody knows!” ex- 
claimed Elmer. “He says we’ve got good homes, 
and are under the right kind of influence; but 
Eddie and his crowd live in the slums, as you 
might say, and their only place at nights is on the 
street corners or in saloons. It was largely to 
keep them from temptation that Mr. Holwell 
first considered this addition to the regular Y. M. 
C. A.” 

“I understand that some of the mill hands are 
taking a vacation — against their will,” observed 
Dan. “You see, every summer the company picks 
out a week or so to clean up, and, of course, lay a 
part of their force off. Now, like as not the boys 
have heard of our going off on an outing, and hope 
to be able to join the crowd.” 


34 THE F. ilf. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Say, I hope they do !” declared Elmer. “Those 
three fellows are all right; and for one I’d like to 
know more of them. Yes, I’d be glad if they 
could go along.” 

“The only trouble,” continued Dan, “would be 
that it will cost us so much a head to have a week 
or two in the woods. Some of these fellows need 
every cent they earn ; and that might prevent them 
from going along.” 

“Just leave all that to Mr. Holwell,” replied 
Elmer, confidently. “He’s the one to think up 
some scheme to open the way. There come Dick 
and Leslie. I must say nobody looks extra gay 
to-night. See how they all fix their eyes on Dick, 
just as if they expected him to be a magician and 
haul a camp-site from his bag as the magicians 
used to pull out rabbits and such things.” 

The meeting was soon called to order by Mr. 
Bartlett, who again put Dick in charge. After the 
roll had been gone over the regular business was 
taken up. Plainly every boy was nervous, for all 
paid less attention to ordinary matters than cus- 
tomary. 

“You see, every one wants to get down to that 
camping business,” whispered Dan to his nearest 
neighbor on the left, who happened to be the mill 
hand, Eddie Grant. “They’re hoping Dick has 
got wind of a place where all of us can go for ten 
days or so.” 


MR. NOCKER SPRINGS A SURPRISE 35 


Eddie Grant sighed. 

“I reckon it’s going to be too rich a treat for 
the likes of some of us fellers,” he remarked also 
in a whisper. Dan could easily catch the shade of 
bitter disappointment in his manner, showing that 
the mill boys had been hugging a hope to their 
hearts that a way might be provided whereby they 
could accompany the others of the Y. M. C. A. 
boys on their outing. 

When finally the ordinary routine of business 
had been brought to a hurried conclusion Elmer 
Jones was on his feet with a motion. 

*‘I move, Mr. President,” he said, with a broad 
smile, “that we proceed to the most important 
matter that engages our attention just now and 
hear the report of the committee appointed to find 
a camp-site for the club.” 

“Second the motion !” exclaimed Phil Harkness. 
“Although there’s little need of it,” he went on, 
“because hearing the report of any committee 
comes under the head of business.” 

Dick knew the boys were anxious to learn 
whether he had met with success. He hated to 
disappoint them, but it seemed as though nothing 
else could be done. 

“I took a whole lot of my time to-day running 
around, making inquiries of different people who 
might know of something we could get,” he an- 
nounced. “But so far there’s nothing in sight 


36 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


worth having. Mr. Truesdale said he wouldn’t 
object if we camped in his woods as long as we 
behaved, and didn’t leave any fires burning when 
we went away from camp. But you all know the 
Truesdale woods, boys.” 

“Poor place, where they used to have the Sun- 
day School picnics some years,” ventured one boy. 
There was a look of disgust on his face as he 
spoke, as though he were thinking it would be 
much too tame for them to spend a whole week 
on the spot where children came to picnic. 

“And too near town besides,” added Dan Fen- 
wick. “When we camp out it’s got to be far away 
from home, and in a regular wilderness. That’s 
what makes it feel like the real thing. Huh ! I’d 
as soon put up a tent in our back yard, and stick 
it out there for a week, as go to that old Trues- 
dale wood.” 

Dick laughed at the vigor of these replies, 
though he had fully anticipated hearing something 
of the sort. 

“Perhaps some one else has had the good luck 
to get track of a place,” he went on to remark. 
“If so, don’t be backward about coming forward. 
We’d like to hear what you’ve done, even if it was 
only to meet with disappointment as I did.” 

Clint Babbett jumped to his feet, saying; 

“I tackled ever so many people during the day, 
and had two places offered to me, but on con- 


MR. NOCKER SPRINGS A SURPRISE 37 


ditions we couldn’t think of accepting. One of 
these, would you believe it, came from a woman 
who insisted that we build no fires while in camp, 
as she would do what cooking was necessary.” 

At that a shout went up, nor did the chairman 
attempt to quell it, for he, too, was shaking with 
laughter, as was also the amused Mr. Bartlett, 
sitting near by. 

“What d’you think of that, now?” cried Dan 
Fenwick. “Camping out for a whole week, and 
not allowed to light even one fire to sit around in 
the evenings! Say, I can see twenty hungry fel- 
lows marching up to that woman’s door three 
times a day for a cold hand-out!” 

“She’d get sick of her bargain in no time. She’d 
find we’d eat her out of house and home,” laughed 
Peg Fosdick. 

“There’s no doubt,” interrupted Dick, seriously, 
“but the woman thought she was giving us boys a 
big help, but it only goes to show how little some 
women know what a boy’s heart hungers for. It 
takes a man to understand a boy, my mother says. 
Why, even girls in these days wouldn’t stand for 
that sort of camping out.” 

Several others got up to tell how they had 
prosecuted an earnest search, but absolutely with- 
out success. No one seemed to know of a suitable 
site for a boys’ camp within a reasonable distance 
of town. 


38 THE Y, M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


As the chances grew less encouraging, some of 
the boys began whispering among themselves. It 
really looked as though the plan on which they had 
set their hearts would have to be given up. 

Dick was holding the meeting from being ad- 
journed, though Leslie could not see the sense of 
further discussion, since no one had been able to 
offer any real hope of success. Still, had any one 
watched Dick closely, he would have discovered 
that the acting chairman cast many anxious glances 
toward the door of the room, and that his ner- 
vousness was really taking on the form of keen 
disappointment. 

Then it came to pass that the door was quietly 
opened and some one slipped into the room. No 
one but Dick saw him enter, for all were engaged 
just then in a warm discussion as to whether it 
might not be wise to accept the kindly meant offer 
of Mr. Truesdale, and make the best of it. 

Dick smiled now, as though a heavy load had 
been taken from his mind. Certain suspicions he 
had allowed himself to entertain were evidently in 
a fair way of becoming actual realities. 

It was no other than Deacon Nocker who had 
so silently entered. He stood listening to what 
was being said for and against the Truesdale 
woods. Dick could see the smile on his thin face, 
and he noticed the way he kept nodding his head 
as he followed the arguments advanced. 


MR. NOCKER SPRINGS A SURPRISE 39 


“I guess it’s as good as settled,” was what Dick 
was telling himself; though, in reality, he had no 
means of knowing what kind of offer Mr. Nocker 
was going to make to the boys of the Y. M. C. A. 
to whom he owed so much happiness. 

“Allow me to say a few words, boys,” remarked 
the deacon, presently, at which there was a craning 
of necks, and many eager looks cast in his direc- 
tion. ^‘Most of you may not know that I own all 
the land around Lake Russabaga, including a 
famous camp-site on Bass Island. I’ve come here 
to-night to make you an offer, which pleases me 
much more than it can any of you. Now, if the 
proper arrangements can be made for transporta- 
tion, and your parents are willing you should go 
so far from home, I want the Y. M. C. A. boys 
to camp up there on the prettiest lake in the whole 
State. I hope you’ll accept my offer, which comes 
direct from my heart 1” 


CHAPTER V 


A BRIGHT PROSPECT AHEAD 

Dick was laughing now. He had had good 
reason to suspect that Mr. Nocker intended to 
help them. 

Everybody was looking happy after hearing the 
wonderful offer which the deacon had just made. 
Led by Dan Fenwick, the boys raised a shout in 
which the name of Mr. Nocker was plainly dis- 
tinguishable. 

The deacon held up his hand as though he had 
something more to communicate, so Dick, as 
chairman of the meeting, knocked on the table 
with his gavel to bring the wild cheering to an end. 

“There are a few things I want to say to you, 
boys,” began the deacon, evidently enjoying the 
sensation of being so heartily cheered. “The first 
is in connection with the expense you will all be 
under, if you accept my offer. Lake Russabaga 
is a good many miles away from Cliffwood, and 
the railroad fare will amount to considerable.” 

“We’ll be glad to stand for that, sir!” an- 
nounced one boy, quickly. 

40 


A BRIGHT PROSPECT AHEAD 


41 


“I have no doubt but the majority of you can 
spend the money required without feeling it,” 
continued the deacon, with a quick look toward 
the three mill boys who were leaning forward and 
listening eagerly. “But there may be a number 
who would like to go, and yet who could not spare 
the money to pay their expenses. I have a little 
plan to help them out.” 

The interest of Eddie Grant and his two com- 
panions increased. They seeemed to understand 
that Mr. Nocker had them especially in mind. 

“There are some extensive patches of blue- 
berries growing about my property on the lake,” 
continued the deacon. “Every year up to now I 
have given permits to certain people to pick all 
they wanted, and send the results down to the 
canning factory here in Cliffwood. This season, 
although the crop I am told is an extra large one, 
no one has applied for permission to pick it. So 
I propose that as many boys as wish may spend a 
portion of their camp time gathering blueberries. 
I will make arrangements to get them down here, 
and each boy will be credited with his earnings, 
which will go to repay the money I agree to ad- 
vance on tickets and other expenses.” 

At that Eddie Grant jumped to his feet with 
a vim. 

“There are some of us here, Mr. Nocker,” he 
exclaimed, eagerly, “who want to go on this trip, 


42 THE Y. M. C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


but didn’t feel that we could afford to spend the 
money that we’ll need a little later for clothes or 
somethin’. We’ll be mighty willin’ to pick ber- 
ries, or do anything like that, to help pay our 
share of the expenses. Isn’t that so, boys?” 

“It sure is!” answered one of his mates, and 
the other nodded his head vigorously, being too 
agitated to use his voice. 

“Well,” continued the deacon, with another 
smile of satisfaction as though he truly enjoyed 
being the messenger of good news. “I’ll leave it 
to you to decide. If your treasury doesn’t hold 
enough ready cash I’d be willing to help out, or 
start a collection to tide over.” 

“Oh I we couldn’t stand for that, sir!” exclaimed 
Leslie Capes, quickly. “Nearly all of us can raise 
the amount needed; and your plan will settle the 
share of those for whom the expense would be too 
great. Taking up a collection sounds too much 
like charity. We’ve got something left from the 
proceeds of our minstrel entertainment, for one 
thing, that could be loaned to any member in good 
standing, to be repaid after we came back from 
the camp. None of us who hasn’t the money 
would mind working for it, but I’m sure I can 
speak for all and say not one of us wants it given 
to him.” 

“There’s another thing I want to mention,” 
called back the deacon from the open door just 


A BRIGHT PROSPECT AHEAD 


43 


before he vanished, “and that is, if you conclude 
to accept my offer and camp on Bass Island up at 
Lake Russabaga, you must beware of that thief!” 

The boys stared at each other on hearing this, 
especially since the deacon did not stay to explain 
what he meant. After he had withdrawn there 
was considerable discussion as to what his mys- 
terious words signified. 

“What sort of people live up that way, any- 
how,” one boy asked, “for him to tell us to look 
out for that thief?” 

“If there’s a thief loose up there why haven’t 
they caught him before now?” another demanded. 

“P’r’aps that job is being held off for the Y. M. 
C. A. boys to tackle,” suggested a third with a grin 
that told how gladly he would enter into the game 
if it should really turn out that way. 

“It strikes me as a rather poor sort of place for 
respectable boys to camp in, if there’s such a low 
character loose in the vicinity. I really will have 
to think it over before deciding to accompany the 
rest of you.” 

That came from Humbert Loft, a nephew of 
the librarian whose constant nagging of the town 
boys, in his desire to have them select only stand- 
ard works suited to much older heads, rather than 
the juvenile books they yearned to read, had been 
the cause of much bad feeling, and had resulted in 
the boys starting a library of their own. 


44 THE Y, M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


The peculiar ways of Humbert were well known 
to the others, so that his present lofty remark did 
not cause much surprise. Most of the boys indeed 
could not bear his superior airs, and thus far his 
associations had not been of a character to give 
him much joy. 

Dick alone stood by him whenever the others 
started to tease the librarian’s nephew, who had 
imbibed the notions of Mr. Loft himself. Dick 
could not agree with the ideas which Humbert 
advanced, but still he believed he could catch 
traces of the more natural boy underneath this 
veneering. Dick hoped that some time or other 
Humbert might throw off his sham of superior 
polish and come out as Nature intended boys to 
be, perhaps rough and careless, but good-hearted, 
and meaning well even when disposed to be full of 
boyish pranks. 

Asa Gardner in particular heard the remarks 
made by Mr. Nocker with great joy. As he had 
told Dick, he often dreamed of enjoying the pleas- 
ure of camping out, of which he had read many 
times; and now that it began to look as though 
a chance had come for him to experience the sensa- 
tion he felt very happy. 

“The outdoor life is the thing for me,” he 
remarked to Elmer Jones after the meeting had 
been adjourned by the temporary chairman. 

“Well, for that matter I’m just as crazy about 


A BRIGHT PROSPECT AHEAD 


45 


such things as any fellow could be and keep out 
of the asylum,” remarked Elmer. “I’ve had a few 
chances to camp out and have managed to pick up 
some of the tricks of the trade. But there’s a 
heap I don’t know yet, and I mean to learn it all 
as fast as I can.” 

“But besides the fun of the thing,” continued 
Asa, seriously, “it’s bound to do me lots of good, 
you know. My mother told me to keep out-of- 
doors all I could, because — well, my lungs are a 
little weak, I guess. You know my brother was 
taken off that way, and it kind of scares me some- 
times when I have a cough.” 

Elmer, big and strong, who never had known a 
sick day in all his life, could still feel for a boy who 
had not enjoyed such robust health. 

“Couldn’t do anything better than to live out- 
of-doors all you can, Asa,” he went on to say. 
“They’ve found that fresh air is the best thing 
going for weak lungs. In fact they’ve stopped 
giving medicine, and just keep patients in the sun- 
shine and the air all the day, as well as get them 
to sleep in the open too.” 

“That’s what I’ve been doing for a year now,” 
continued the other, eagerly. “I have a sleep- 
ing porch alongside my room, and all last winter 
I never spent even one night indoors.” 

Elmer looked at him with more respect on 
hearing this. 


46 THE^Y, M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“And we had several big blizzards at that,” he 
remarked. “Then you must be in good trim for 
camping, because you’re used to the night air. But 
we’re all of us a heap glad we are really going so 
far away from home, though we’ll miss our 
moth ” 

Elmer stopped suddenly, because he remem- 
bered that Asa had lost his mother. He saw the 
other turn white and gulp hard; but as Elmer 
walked away just then nothing further was said 
on the subject. 

The boys found it hard to separate that night, 
there was so much to talk over. Suggestions were 
made of every kind as to what supplies they ought 
to take with them and whether this or that would 
be the right thing. 

“Before we leave here, boys,” said Dick as they 
prepared finally to depart, “it strikes me it would 
be only fair to give three cheers for Mr. Nocker, 
one of the best friends the boys of Cliffwood ever 
had. That is, if Mr. Bartlett doesn’t object.” 

The cheers were given with a will, and as the 
windows of the room were open the man, who hap- 
pened to be passing, could plainly hear his name 
mentioned with hearty vigor as the score of lusty 
voices rang out. And Deacon Nocker felt a 
warmth in his heart as he listened, such as that 
organ had never known before. 


CHAPTER VI 


MAKING CAMP ON BASS ISLAND 

A FEW days later, when a train stopped at the 
small station of Rockton, a crowd of boys accom- 
panied by two older persons and a smiling colored 
man, jumped from the cars. They seemed to 
carry innumerable packages, and not a few had in 
addition knapsacks fastened to their backs. 

Besides this, from the baggage car an astonish- 
ing amount of stuff was thrown, consisting of tents 
and cots and blankets. 

Most of the provisions had been properly 
packed at the store. But Dick saw to it that such 
things as eggs were carried by some of the boys, 
since they would not stand much rough handling. 
They expected, however, to secure further farm 
products from some farmer not a great distance 
away from the camp on the shore of Bass Island. 

Then the train began to puff again, and the 
score of boys, together with Harry Bartlett, Mr. 
Asa Rowland, the physical culture director at the 
Y. M. C. A., and “Sunny Jim,’* the negro cook, 
found themselves left at the small station. 


47 


48 THE r. M, C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“They say it’s all of four long miles to the 
lake,” remarked Peg Fosdick, taking a look over 
the camp duffle that had been thrown in a great 
pile alongside the track. 

“Oh! if you think that would be too long a 
tramp for your game leg, Mr. Bartlett would let 
you ride on one of the two wagons we’ve hired to 
haul the stuff over,” Dick told him. To this, how- 
ever, Peg protested, saying : 

“Huh! what d’ye take me for, Dick? If I’m 
not good for a little hike like that I ought to have 
stayed at home and be tied to mother’s apron- 
strings. I was only wondering how much of this 
stuff I could hoist in case those wagons failed us, 
that’s all.” 

“Well, don’t bother about that,” called out 
Leslie just then. “From the cloud of dust rising 
along the road over yonder I reckon our teams 
are coming now.” 

His prediction turned out a true one, and it did 
not take the eager boys long to get their posses- 
sions loaded. There was more or less merriment 
as this labor was in progress; and many were the 
comments made concerning the piled-up wagons. 

“Looks just like a gypsy outfit on the road,” 
suggested Clint Babbett. 

“Now it would be a good thing for everybody 
who cared to do it to put his bundle aboard one 
of the supply wagons,” Dick suggested. “Four 


MAKING CAMP ON BASS ISLAND 49 


miles is something of a walk on a hot day like this, 
and it’s going to feel like a bag of lead before you 
get there. We can take turns carrying those 
precious home-laid eggs.” 

“If we get settled in camp this afternoon we’ll 
be in good fix for our first night out,” asserted 
Elmer, after they had started on the tramp, string- 
ing along the dusty country road. 

“We ought to have the camp in pretty good 
shape for Mr. Holwell, if he keeps his promise 
and comes up to see how we’re getting on to- 
morrow,” added Dan. “We must let him see that 
we know how to go about things in a way to make 
’em look clean and neat. As Mr. Bartlett says, 
we don’t mean to stand for any shiftless ways in 
Camp Russabaga!” 

“That name sounds good to me,” remarked 
Dick, instantly. “If the rest of you are of the 
same mind let’s begin and call it that from now 
on. 

“Camp Russabaga it is!” exclaimed Peg, with 
his customary enthusiasm. “There could hardly 
be a name that’d suit me better.” 

“It’s just the ticket all around!” added Asa. 

“I should call it quite euphonious!” observed 
Humbert Loft, who after all had decided to risk 
having his feelings hurt many times by his rough 
comrades, and from sheer curiosity had concluded 
to accompany them on the camping trip. 


50 THE Y. M,C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


The campers plodded along just ahead of the 
heavily laden wagons, and as is the case when a 
number of lively boys get together, there was so 
much laughter and conversation that none of them 
noticed the passage of time. 

“We’re getting near the lake, fellows!” sud- 
denly called out Fred Bonnicastle. “I’m sure I 
had a glimpse of something that looked like water 
just then. Yes, it lies yonder — between the two 
big oaks.” 

“And not over half a mile away at that 1” added 
some one else, hopefully, for feet were commenc- 
ing to drag. 

“It’s surely lonely enough up this way,” re- 
marked Leslie. “Not a sign of a cabin around.” 

“I heard there were one or two shanties on 
Bass Island that the berry pickers stay in when it 
storms, the best picking being over on the island,” 
answered Peg Fosdick. “We can make use of 
them for a storage place.” 

“And, too, if any finiky chap doesn’t like the 
idea of sleeping under canvas, he’s at liberty to fix 
himself a bunk where he’ll have a real roof over 
him,” put in Dan. 

He looked at Humbert when saying this. The 
‘^superior” boy colored a little and hastened to 
say: 

“Oh! as for me. I’ve quite made up my mind 
that when I’m in Rome I shall do as the Romans 


'MAKING CAMP ON BASS ISLAND 51 


do. My uncle advised me to forget that we came 
of an old and honored New England family when 

associating with Oh ! I mean that I want to do 

just as the rest of you think is best.” 

“He came mighty near calling us common 
folks !” whispered Peg, gloomily, turning to Elmer, 
who chanced to be alongside the limping one. “I 
reckon that is about what he really believes us to 
be. I hope His Majesty isn’t going to be con- 
taminated while he’s up here in camp with the com- 
mon herd. ‘Those who touch pitch will be de- 
filed,’ I heard Mr. Holwell say only last Sunday.” 

“I’m real sorry for Humbert,” Elmer told him 
in reply. “He’s so very nice that this rough-and- 
ready world isn’t good enough to hold him. He 
ought to be in a glass case, it strikes me.” 

The idea caused Peg to laugh aloud. Possibly 
Humbert may have suspected that he had some- 
thing to do with their merriment, for he turned 
and looked at them almost reproachfully, which 
caused Peg to say in a low tone : 

“Oh I well, I suppose he just can’t help it. He’s 
been fed with soft pap all his life, and had to 
associate with that lofty Loft uncle of his who 
really believes all boys should be forced to read 
nothing but standard works.” 

It was not long before they came in sight of 
Lake Russabaga. The spectacle was so inspiring 
that the boys broke out into a loud cheer. 


52 THE Y. M. C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“What a whopping big sheet of water it is !*’ 
exclaimed Elmer Jones. “It must be a whole lot 
of miles across there to the further shore that 
looks so dim in the distance.” 

“And that fsland about a mile from this side 
must be the one we’re to camp on — Bass Island,” 
suggested Peg, his voice filled with delight. 

‘Dick says we’d better be hurrying along!” 
called out Leslie. “You understand we’ll have our 
hands full ferrying all this stuff across there; and 
from the clouds gathering along the horizon Mr. 
Bartlett seems to think we may have a thunder 
storm before many hours pass by.” 

“Get a move on, everybody!” cried Clint. 

In due time the boys and the two teams reached 
the shore of the lake. Here the loads were hur- 
riedly taken off, after which the drivers were paid 
and the teams started back, for neither of the men 
liked the looks of the clouds, and both prophesied 
rain before long. 

“Where are the two boats we were to use when 
up here?” asked Mr. Rowland, who was a fine 
specimen of physical manhood. 

“Dick and Elmer have gone to get them,” re- 
plied Leslie. “Dick knows where they are hidden 
away from one summer to another. I only hope 
they don’t leak too much, that’s all. It’d be pretty 
rough to have one of them sink under us when 
half-way over.” 


MAKING CAMP ON BASS ISLAND 53 


Leslie said this aloud so that Humbert might 
hear it, his object being to give that “mother’s 
darling,” as Dan called Humbert, cause for alarm. 
He accomplished his intention, for Humbert was 
seen to look long and anxiously out across the 
waters of the lake, and then heave a tremendous 
sigh. 

The two boats were soon brought around, hav- 
ing been easily found. They were not, as Fred 
Bonnicastle said, “things of beauty and a joy for- 
ever.” In fact, the boys considered them very 
rough looking, being rudely made, and old in the 
bargain. They leaked a little, but that defect 
could no doubt be remedied when Dick and some 
of the others found time to get to work on them. 

By adjusting the loads properly and doing a 
little bailing occasionally, the boats could be safely 
ferried across to the island. 

Two good loads were sent off, with a number of 
the boys along to get things started ashore. They 
were under the charge of Mr. Bartlett and the 
physical culture director, and had orders to put 
up the tents and fasten them with extra care, as 
there could be no telling how much wind would 
come if the storm finally descended on them, and 
it would be necessary to have some shelter both 
for themselves and for their provisions. 

When later on the boats returned only two boys 
came with them, the rest of the party staying on 


54 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


the island in order to get the camp started. An- 
other load was sent off, and with it went a second 
detachment of the boys, as well as the smiling 
black cook. All this took considerable time. No 
one dared mention such a thing as stopping to eat 
until everything had been safely transferred to the 
island where the camp was to be pitched. 

“There’s only enough stuff left here for a single 
load now,” called out Dick, as both boats started 
off for the third time. “Send one of them back 
with a fellow to row. I’ll be waiting here to 
clean up.” 

It was almost half an hour later when he dis- 
covered the boat approaching the shore. Dick 
was somewhat surprised to see that the boy who 
wielded the oars was Asa Gardner; and he also 
noted that the boy had a pretty fair stroke. His 
cheeks were rosy for one of his usually pale com- 
plexion. His eyes, too, sparkled as though Asa 
was enjoying the experience as far as it had gone. 

“You’re surprised at seeing me, I know, Dick,” 
Asa said, as he drew in to the land. “I just 
begged Leslie to let me bring the boat back, and 
he agreed. The others are working like beavers 
to get the tents up and everything safe before it 
starts to rain. Do you think we’ll be caught in 
the storm, Dick?” 

There was a little vein of anxiety in the boy’s 
voice, Dick fancied, as though Asa might already 


MAKING CAMP ON BASS ISLAND 55 


be repenting of his temerity in venturing across 
the wide waste of waters on such a risky errand. 

“Let’s get the stuff packed aboard as soon as we 
can,” said Dick, as he took up a bundle of blank- 
ets and tossed them into the skiff. “The storm is 
likely to hold off another hour, but then it may 
catch us half-way over. But you said you could 
swim, didn’t you, Asa?” 

“Oh! yes, pretty well,” replied the other. 

A few minutes sufficed to complete the packing. 
Dick wanted things to be securely fastened in case 
they met with a heavy sea. 

“Now we’re off,” he said, as he entered the 
boat. “I’ll start rowing, because you must be 
tired, Asa. If it should get very rough I may 
have to call on you to take an oar to help out, for 
two are better than one at such times, you know.” 

“I’m willing enough,” said the other, seating 
himself amidst the load. 

Dick threw considerable power into his work. 
He knew there was more or less danger of being 
caught far out from land in the storm, and that, 
considering that their boat was old and leaky, did 
not present a flattering outlook. 

Just as he feared, they had gone little more 
than half the distance across when a loud peal of 
thunder followed a brilliant flash of lightning. 

“It’s coming, Dick! The squall!” cried Asa. 
“I can see it racing over the water!” 


CHAPTER VII 


IN THE GRIP OF THE SQUALL 

“We're in for it, Fm afraid, Asa I” said Dick, 
as he saw what the other had reference to, for 
the wind was coming in their track, and promised 
to drive the boat toward the island rather than 
from it. 

“Tell me what to do, Dick, and Fll try to fol- 
low it out!” Asa exclaimed. 

His face was deathly white, and his lips quiv- 
ered as he spoke. Still Dick could see that the 
boy had a pretty good mastery over his fears. 
Indeed, with such a dismal prospect staring them 
in the face, even a more seasoned camper than 
Asa Gardner might have displayed nervousness. 

“He’s got considerable nerve, anyway,” Dick 
said to himself, when he saw his companion grit- 
ting his teeth, and clenching his hands. Raising 
his voice he went on to say: “I guess two pairs 
of arms would be better than one just now, Asa; 
so drop down on that other thwart and take this 
oar.” 

The boy did as he was bidden. 

56 


IN THE GRIP OF THE SQUALL 57 


“Now, what’s the game, Dick?” he asked, as 
soon as he had clutched the oar after it had been 
hastily placed in the rowlock by his comrade. 

“We must turn around in a hurry, because that 
big wave might swamp us if it came up over our 
stern,” he was told. 

The boys hurriedly got the boat around so, that 
the bow pointed toward the shore from which 
- they had so recently come, though toward a point 
farther along the coast line. None too soon was 
the manoeuver accomplished. The squall rushed 
across the half mile of water with wonderful 
rapidity. It carried a “white bone In its teeth,” 
as a mariner would say, for a line of foam showed 
directly in the wake of the first rush of wind. 

“Steady now ! Keep her head straight into the 
wind, and don’t worry any; we can hold our own 
as well as we want. Now, row hard, Asa I” 

With those words they commenced to work 
their arms. The boat started directly at the 
foamy track of the storm, met the wave, and 
plunged into it. 

Both boys were immediately drenched with the 
spray, but much to Dick’s satisfaction Asa held 
firm, continuing to labor fiercely. The boat reared 
up and pitched like a bucking bronco, but as its 
nose was headed directly into the waves it could 
not capsize, as would have been the case had they 
been caught beam on. 


58 THE F. M. C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Perhaps Asa Gardner had never been in a 
position of real peril before. He certainly showed 
considerable grit, Dick thought, for with set teeth 
he was straining himself to the utmost while tug- 
ging at his oar; nor did he once “catch a crab” 
by missing his stroke and falling backward. 

“Take it easier, Asa!” shouted Dick, for the 
storm was making such a din around them by this 
time that ordinary talk was next to useless. 

“But it’ll drive us along if we don’t look out!” 
cried the other in return. 

“Just what I want it to do I” returned Dick 
reassuringly. 

Asa complied with the orders he had received. 
Nevertheless he was undoubtedly puzzled to un- 
derstand what Dick was planning to do. 

“But won’t we be washed out there into the 
middle of the lake, Dick?” he asked, unable to 
grasp the other’s plan. The very thought of being 
sent scudding before that howling summer storm 
into the waste of waters terrified Asa. 

“Not necessarily,” Dick snapped out. “From 
the way we’re going I’m in hopes of striking Bass 
Island. There’s a long cape or spur that juts out 
on this side, you may have noticed. When we get 
to that we’ll try to draw in behind it 1” 

“Oh 1” exclaimed Asa, and it was evident that 
he grasped the scheme his companion had ar- 
ranged on the spur of the moment. 


IN THE GRIP OF THE SQUALL 59 


The crisis could not be very far away, that was 
sure, because since they had relaxed their efforts 
they were being carried swiftly along, always with 
the bow of their boat pointed directly into the 
wind and waves. 

Many times the billows, growing higher the 
further they were driven from the shore, would 
smash against the prow of the boat and scatter 
spray over the occupants. But Dick cared nothing 
for that. Getting wet was a small matter beside 
being swamped, with their lives placed in danger. 

“WeVe close to the island!” cried Asa, pres- 
ently, bracing himself for the expected command 
to row furiously again. 

“Yes, and that’s the spur I spoke of,” added 
Dick. “When we are a bit nearer we must start 
to work. I’ll turn the boat in a little right now, 
so as to be ready.” 

“I can hear the fellows yelling like mad,” con- 
tinued the other boy. 

Dick heard the shouts too, but paid little atten- 
tion to them. He realized that Mr. Rowland and 
the boys who were racing like mad to get out on 
that jutting cape could not do the least thing 
toward assisting those who were in peril. If he 
and Asa managed to reach shore it would have to 
be through good luck, seconded by their own des- 
perate efforts. 

The cape was close by. Indeed, it would have 


60 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

been an easy thing for a boy to have thrown a 
stone from its extremity to the boat. Dick was 
carefully keeping track of things, and he knew 
just when it was time for them to begin pulling 
with might and main. 

“Now, go for it, Asa I” he suddenly called out. 

Both strained every muscle. And there was 
need of their greatest exertions, for the wind and 
waves combined made a foe worthy of their re- 
spect. The old boat seemed like a cork on the 
surface of the agitated lake. 

Just as Dick had calculated, they were now 
fairly well able to hold their own when taking the 
waves on their starboard quarter. All the while, 
however, progress was being made toward the 
island. If only they could manage to get far 
enough along they would soon begin to feel the 
advantage of that projecting arm, or cape, for 
behind it the waves were far less boisterous. 

It was a lively affair while it lasted, and Asa 
for one would never forget his experience as long 
as he lived. Though the rain had stopped the 
thunder still rolled heavily, while the beating of 
the waves against the land added to the clamor. 
The waves rushed past the heaving boat with a 
sharp hissing sound that Asa compared to that 
made by angry serpents in fear of being cheated 
out of their intended prey. 

The terminus of the little spur of land could be 


IN THE GRIP OF THE SQUALL 61 


seen now, for they had actually been carried past 
itv Much progress had also been made in push- 
ing toward the land, and Dick for the first time 
began to feel satisfied that they would accomplish 
the object of their hard labors. 

The other boys, together with the physical in- 
structor, reached the outer shore by now. They 
were still shouting, and were wildly agitated, the 
boys, at least, under the false impression that 
those in the boat had missed their aim, and were 
now in deadly danger of being carried away 
toward the center of the big lake. 

Indeed, Dan Fenwick was hurriedly disrobing 
as though to leap into the water in an attempt to 
assist his chums, though, in fact, this would have 
been a most foolish venture, nor would Mr. Row- 
land have allowed him to attempt it. 

Dick already felt the terrible strain lessening. 
He knew they must be getting the benefit of the 
shelter offered by that projecting cape, against 
which the waves were dashing angrily. 

“It’s all right, Asa; take it a little easier now. 
We can make the land without much trouble. Just 
keep pulling steadily, that’s all.” 

Being short of breath Dick jerked out these 
sentences, but his reassuring words were like balm 
to the disturbed mind of the boy at his side. 

Presently they began to draw nearer the land, 
a fact that gave the observers the first hint as to 


62 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


what Dick’s plan had been. Cries of alarm 
changed to ringing huzzas, and several boys could 
be seen waving their soaked hats in triumph as 
they pushed through the wet undergrowth to be 
in a position to meet the others when they landed. 

Asa began to recover in a measure from his 
state of fear. Dick understanding just how he 
must be feeling, talked confidently to him. 

“I must say you did your part well, Asa,” was 
the way he spoke. “You’re bound to make your 
mark if you keep on trying. It’s in you I can see 
well enough. I wouldn’t want a better and 
pluckier comrade in a boat than you proved to 
be.” 

When the two lads finally drew in to land the 
thunder was muttering in the distance, the wind 
had begun to die down, and there was a rift in 
the clouds overhead. Like many summer squalls, 
the storm had been of brief duration, and was 
already of the past. 

Still Asa shuddered as he cast a look out toward 
the main lake, and thought of what might have 
happened to them except for Dick’s clever hand- 
ling of the situation. 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE FIRST NIGHT OUT 

Asa was very thankful to be on land again after 
his recent adventure. He was shivering with cold, 
and Mr. Rowland realized that the first thing to 
be done was to push around to the place where 
the tents had been raised, and get some fires under 
way. 

“Here, everybody turn in and make for the 
camp I” he called out, when he could get the happy 
boys to stop shaking hands with Dick and the shiv- 
ering Asa. “We want warmth, and we want it 
right away, too. Fire brigade to the fore. Show 
us what you can do about getting a blaze started.” 

Laughing and joking, now that all danger was 
past, the boys hastened toward the spot where 
they had pitched their camp. This was at the 
place used by the berry pickers and what few fish- 
ermen came to the lake for sport. 

“The first thing necessary,” said Mr. Bartlett, 
who was serving as camp leader, “is to get a good 
fire going.” 

“We were smart enough to have a lot of fine 
63 


64 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


dry wood thrown into one of the two shanties, 
Dick,” announced Leslie with a vein of pride in 
his voice. 

“That was clever of you, I must say,” remarked 
Dick. “Let’s make a number of fires, for we’re 
all pretty well soaked, and it’s going to be some 
job, believe me, drying everything after that duck- 
ing. Sha’n’t we have several, Mr. Bartlett?” 

Presently the first blaze began to crackle. Then 
others took hold, and in ten minutes there were 
four good fires burning merrily. 

“Now strip off those wet clothes, boys,” ordered 
Mr. Rowland. “Here are your bags, and if you 
carried out the directions I gave you the other 
day, you both have dry stuff in plenty for a com- 
plete change, and shoes as well. Keep near the 
fire, and exercise your arms all you can.” 

Asa was looking blue about the lips, and shiv- 
ering just as you have seen a hungry and cold dog 
do when begging to be let in at the door on a 
T^intry day. It was evident that only his will power 
was keeping him up. 

As Dick was stronger and was, as well, hard- 
ened to such things, he could stand it and not 
suffer. 

Mr. Rowland had Sunny Jim get one of the sev- 
eral coffeepots, and soon had some water heating 
on a fire in order to make some hot coffee. 

“Nothing to beat hot coffee when you’ve been 


THE FIRST NIGHT OUT 


65 


ducked and feel shivery,” Dick said to Asa, after 
they had got their wet garments off and, under 
the directions of Mr. Rowland, were rubbing 
themselves briskly all over with coarse buck towels 
before starting to dress again in dry clothes. 

Already the pinched blue look was leaving Asa’s 
lips, and a touch of color had appeared in his pale 
cheeks. His eyes had a sparkle, too, as though the 
excitement of his recent adventure still possessed 
him. 

In the end all managed to get thoroughly dry. 
The sun was shining once more, and this helped 
to make things look cheerful again. 

“I move we have a bite to eat before starting 
to work again at the camp I” Dan Fenwick was 
heard to say. To this suggestion unanimous assent 
was given, for like all boys they were made up 
mostly of appetite. 

“A few slices of ham wouldn’t go bad!” ex- 
claimed Phil Harkness, smacking his lips. 

“And a few cans of those Boston baked beans 
strikes me as extra prime I” added Clint Babbett. 

So it was ordered by Mr. Bartlett, and before 
long a delightful odor began to steal about that 
vicinity, causing some of the boys to groan dis- 
mally, and declare they were almost famishing 
for want of lunch. 

“Why, it’s nearly two o’clodc I want you to 
know,” asserted Andy Hale, reproachfully. “And 


66 THE Y, M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

I had my breakfast at six this morning, because I 
was afraid I might be late and find the rest of 
you gone.” 

In time the call came to gather around a rough 
table those boys first on the island had put to- 
gether. 

“Any way will do this time,” Mr. Bartlett an- 
nounced; “but by another meal we must have some 
system arranged. This camp is going to be sys- 
tematically conducted, you understand, and not be 
Liberty Hall, where every boy can go as he 
pleases.” 

“Yes,” remarked Dick. “Mr. Holwell is com- 
ing up to-morrow, too, and we want him to see 
that we can behave ourselves, and not act like a 
lot of savages.” 

The hungry crowd devoured every scrap of food 
that had been prepared, and drained both coffee- 
pots to the dregs. There was considerable merri- 
ment shown during the first meal on Bass Island, 
and everybody agreed that the prospects for an 
enjoyable stay looked promising. 

Afterwards they rested a little while, and then 
the camp leader set them all certain tasks. Several 
commenced to patch the roof of one of the cabins, 
which was found to be in a leaky condition. Others 
aired such blankets as had got wet — those which 
had been in the bundles carried in the boat at the 
time the storm overtook the voyagers. 


THE FIRST NIGHT OUT 


67 


Still more of the boys were engaged in cutting 
wood. Here Eddie Grant and his two chums 
showed that they were quite at home, for they 
had long ago learned to use an axe as well as most 
wood-choppers. In fact, Eddie confessed he had 
actually spent a winter in a logging camp assist- 
ing the cook, and in that way learned many things 
that promised to be useful now. 

Leslie and Dick were looking over the stock of 
provisions, so that their supplies might be kept 
track of, the camp leader having delegated this 
task to them. 

“There may be wild animals around here, for 
all we know,” Dick was saying, “and on that 
account we’ll make sure to keep things safe. It 
would be mighty disappointing if we woke up some 
morning and found that a bear had carried off 
our entire stock of smoked hams and bacon, or 
spilt the bags of flour so we couldn’t have the flap- 
jacks Sunny Jim has promised to make for us at 
breakfast time.” 

“By the way, Dick,” remarked Leslie, lowering 
his voice as he glanced toward the spot where 
several of the boys were carrying in armfuls of 
wood, Humbert Loft among the number, though 
he carefully brushed himself off each time, “Hum- 
bert is showing signs of being a boy after all.” 

“Did he turn to and help when you landed, and 
} found so^much to do?” asked Dick. 


68 THE Y, M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Just what he did, as well as he could with his 
dainty ways. You see, Dick, it’s got to be second 
nature with him to be eternally brushing himself 
off. He hates the sight of dirt, which is just the 
opposite of some boys. But then Humbert has 
been made a sissy by his uncle and his aunts. He 
should have been called Geraldine or something 
like that. Still, I will say he did a heap better 
than I ever thought he would.” 

“Give him half a chance, Leslie,” urged Dick. 
“In spite of his superior airs and high-flown lan- 
guage I think he’s a boy after all. What you saw 
was a glimpse of the real nature showing under all 
the veneer they’ve plastered on him. For years 
this thing of ‘cultuah’ as he calls it has been drilled 
into the poor chap, so that he just can’t help it if 
he acts the way he does.” 

“Well, I certainly hope he wakes up real soon 
then,” asserted Leslie; “because some of the fel- 
lows say they won’t stand for his lofty ways much 
longer. A ducking a day would wash some of it 
out of him, according to my notion. My father 
says that true culture brings simplicity, and what 
Humbert’s got is snobbery.” 

The afternoon wore on, and much was accom- 
plished. It is true the camp did not present such 
a trim appearance as Mr. Bartlett intended should 
be the case; but then they would have most of 
another day before Mr. Holwell arrived. 


THE FIRST NIGHT OUT 


Supper was prepared amidst much confusion, 
which would also have to be remedied. 

“ ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth,’ ” the camp 
leader quoted, “and I’ll arrange it so that those 
who know something about the business of getting 
up meals will have regular turns helping Jim at 
the job.” 

“What about the greenhorns, sir?” asked Asa 
Gardner. 

“For the moment they get off scot-free,” 
laughed Mr. Bartlett. “But they will have to act 
as scullions and wood-bearers to the cook. That’s 
the penalty for ignorance. The one who under- 
stands things always gets to the top of the heap, 
and the one who doesn’t know beans, except when 
he tastes them, has to do the drudgery in this 
world. So if you’re wise, Asa, hang around when 
the meals are being prepared and pick up all the 
information you can.” 

“I certainly mean to, sir. And I want to say 
right now that I’ve eaten twice as much supper 
as I would have done at home. It was just bully !” 

“Oh I you’ve come by your camp appetite in a 
hurry it seems,” laughed Dick. 

They sat around for a long time afterwards, 
chatting, and singing some of their school songs. 
For the first evening Mr. Bartlett meant to be 
easy with the campers, he told them. The real 
discipline would begin in the morning. 


70 THE Y, M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


It was a novel experience for some of the lads 
who had never camped out before. The fretting 
of the water along the shore; the mysterious mur- 
mur of the soft wind through the tops of the pines 
and hemlocks; the cries of certain night birds, 
such as an owl and a heron and a hawk, foraging 
for food; gave them an excuse for looking half 
fearfully around at times, arid wondering if the 
darkness were peopled with all manner of strange 
creatures. And the boys had not forgotten Mr. 
Nocker’s remarks about watching out for a thief. 

“What did he mean by looking out for a thief?” 
asked Leslie. 

“I don’t know,” answered Peg. “Maybe we’ll 
find out some day.” And they did — as we shall 
learn later. 

Then came the moon, a little past her prime, 
peeping over the hills far to the east, and looking 
down upon them, as though questioning in a mild 
way their right to the occupancy of that island 
camp. 

It was all very romantic, and even Asa Gardner 
confessed that he liked it. The day, however, had 
been a strenuous one for all of them, and several 
of the boys could already be detected slily yawn- 
ing when they thought no one was looking; so 
Mr. Bartlett concluded it would be wise for them 
to think of taking to their blankets. 

Before the order was given for retiring at nine 


THE FIRST NIGHT OUT 71 

o’clock, however, Mr. Bartlett announced the pro- 
gramme for the early morning. 

“At sunrise reveille will be sounded, when every 
boy is expected on the campus, as we shall call 
this open space here. Mr. Rowland will put you 
through the usual United States Army setting-up 
exercises. After that the flag will be raised on 
the flagpole we’ve prepared, and will be saluted. 
Then comes the morning bath and swim in which 
all are expected to join. After breakfast we will 
have a brief chapel service in the big tent. At that 
time I expect to announce the programme for the 
first day in camp. And now good night to you all, 
boys. I hope every one of you will sleep well.” 

After a little confusion, all sounds gradually 
died away, and only the crackling of the fire could 
be heard, together with the wash of the waves 
against the rocks. Camp Russabaga was asleep. 


CHAPTER IX 


THE RULE OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE 

When the boys were talking of retiring Asa 
Gardner, who had been hovering near, approached 
Mr. Bartlett and Dick. 

The former, of course, knew more or less about 
the strange lad whose past had been of a char- 
acter to make him unhappy. Dick had managed 
to explain to both the young men who were in 
charge of the camp how Asa was fighting his bat- 
tle manfully, and consequently they sympathized 
with the boy. 

“Do you want to ask me anything, Asa?’* in- 
quired Mr. Bartlett, kindly. 

“Just a little favor, sir,” came the hesitating 
reply, for Asa was easily confused, realizing as 
he did that people looked on him in a different 
way from what they did ordinary lads. 

“Then don’t hold back,” urged the young man, 
“for you’ll always find that both Mr. Rowland 
and myself are willing to accommodate any of 
you when it can be done without disturbing the 
ordinary routine of the camp too much.” 


72 


RULE OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE 73 


“It was only this, sir,” continued Asa. “Ac- 
cording to the programme mapped out by Mr. 
Rowland, and which he read to us. I’m selected 
to sleep to-night in the cabin along with three 
other fellows.” 

“And what objection do you have to that, Asa? 
I think Mr. Rowland picked out those who were 
to occupy the cabin with a purpose in view,” the 
camp leader remarked, kindly. 

“I’m sure he did, sir, for he said as much,” Asa 
admitted. “But you see it’s this way with me. 
I’ve been feeling a heap better ever since I took 
to sleeping on that porch they enclosed with wire 
netting. It’s been nearly a year now since I started 
to try that sort of thing, and I’ve got so used to 
it I’m afraid I’d feel awfully choky and queer if 
I tried to sleep in a room again.” 

“I reckon there’s a whole lot in that, too, Asa,” 
said Dick, with a quick glance at the camp leader, 
who nodded in approval. “I’ve heard people say 
they couldn’t bear to go to bed inside four walls 
after sleeping outdoors for a long time. They 
complain that it seems to smother them.” 

“Just so,” added Mr. Bartlett, “and I suppose 
that’s why gypsies who used to come to Cliffwood 
trading horses and telling fortunes said no win- 
ter’s storm could ever drive them to seek shelter 
in a house-dweller’s place. I’ll make arrange- 
ments to have you exchange places with one of 


74 THE Y, M. C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


the boys in a tent, Asa. And Fm glad you spoke 
of it in time. Remember, both Mr. Rowland and 
I will be pleased to oblige any of you boys when 
the request is as reasonable as yours.” 

“I don’t suppose there’ll be any danger out 
here on this big island, sir?” remarked Asa, a 
little uneasily, Dick noticed, as he glanced around 
at the moonlit vicinity, and shivered. 

“Oh I there’s very small chance that the island 
holds any wild animals larger than raccoons and 
squirrels,” replied the camp leader. 

“Besides, Asa,” Dick added, “you must remem- 
ber that even a wildcat is afraid of fire, and as a 
rule shuns the presence of human beings. The 
chances are we’ll not be disturbed in any way 
while camping on Bass Island.” 

And so it came about that Asa found a place 
in one of the tents, where he could make himself 
comfortable near the entrance, and breathe all the 
free night air he wished. 

Dick slept close to the opening of the tent he 
occupied in company with three other campers. 
Mr. Bartlett had constituted him a sort of assist- 
ant campmaster, to take charge whenever both 
he and the physical instructor were absent. Be- 
sides this, everybody knew that Dick was better 
acquainted with certain matters connected with 
outdoor life than most of the other boys, since 
he had long made woodcraft a study. 


RULE OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE 75 


Once, during that first night on the island, on 
awakening from a sound sleep, Dick crawled softly 
out of the tent and took a look around. It was 
a beautiful night, such as filled his boyish heart 
with delight. 

The moon, almost full, was climbing up close 
to the zenith, and sent down a flood of bright 
light on the slumbering world below. The soft 
night breeze continued to whisper among the tops 
of the tall pine trees. The gentle waves washed 
the rocky shore of the big island with a soothing 
murmur never to be forgotten. 

Just as the sun began to peep above the eastern 
horizon a gun was fired and a bugle reveille fol- 
lowed immediately afterward. Those of the boys 
who were not already up came dashing out of the 
tents and the cabin, prepared to enter upon the 
duties of this, the first full day in camp. 

They found both Mr. Bartlett and the physical 
instructor ready for them, while Sunny Jim, who 
was never seen without a broad grin on his face, 
had begun to bustle around amidst his pots and 
pans as though making arrangements for starting 
breakfast. 

“Every one in camp with the exception of our 
cook will be expected to join in the programme 
for the early morning!” called out Mr. Rowland, 
who was a splendidly built young man, the posses- 
sor of several medals won in athletic matches. 


76 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“The first of these will be the setting-up exercises, 
to start your blood into full action, after which 
we will have a dip in the lake.” 

A number of the boys did not know the least 
thing about swimming, and were more or less 
timid about entering the water. Mr. Rowland 
soon gave them to understand there was nothing 
to be afraid of. He intended that there should 
be no skylarking, no ducking, no horse-play among 
themselves. 

“We expect to have swimming classes,” he told 
them as they gathered around at the edge of the 
water, clad in their bathing trunks only. “A life 
saving crew will be organized, and no boy will be 
allowed to go beyond certain bounds on penalty 
of having his privileges curtailed, or even cut off 
altogether. There will be no accidents in the 
water at Camp Russabaga if we can prevent it. 
Now listen while I lay down the law, and then 
every one of you must enter the water.” 

Three of the boys looked glum at hearing this 
talk. As may be easily understood they were Nat 
Silmore and his two cronies, Dit Hennesy and 
Alonzo Crane. They had finally decided to ac- 
company the campers in the hope of finding 
numerous chances to enjoy a joke at the expense 
of their fellows. It appeared now as though they 
had deceived themselves and had made a great 
mistake, and this realization caused them to look 


RULE OF ORDER AND DISCIPLINE 77 


“sour,” as some of the boys expressed it, under- 
standing what was the matter with the trio of 
tricksters. 

The flag was already flying in the morning 
breeze, and it really looked as if the camp had 
been inaugurated after the customary manner. All 
over our land similar camps organized by enthus- 
iastic members of the numerous Y. M. C. A. 
organizations are being conducted along the same 
lines. Some of these are run during the entire 
summer, detachments of young fellows coming 
and going from time to time, and all benefiting 
greatly through their brief stay in the open, under 
strict and sanitary rules. 

Sunny Jim had been bustling around preparing 
breakfast. With that broad smile on his ebony 
face he looked as though he meant to do his part 
toward making the camp a success. The boys 
knew him very well, since Sunny Jim had been a 
character in Cliffwood for many years. They were 
also aware of his reputation as a first-class cook, 
and anticipated being treated to many a sumptuous 
feast while they were in camp. 

Some of the boys dressed more rapidly than 
others, and among the clever ones were Dick, Peg 
Fosdick and Dan Fenwick. Peg, having a notion 
that he would like to learn all he could about 
camp cooking as practised by an experienced man 
like Sunny Jim, hovered around the fire, watching 


78 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


and offering to assist whenever he saw the chance. 

Breakfast was almost ready, and some of the 
other boys could be seen thrusting their heads 
out from the tents to sniff eagerly the delightful 
odors that permeated the camp. 

It was just at this time that Peg, who had been 
looking around and asking hurried questions of 
the colored cook, was heard to call aloud indig- 
nantly : 

“Say, I just want to know who’s gone and hid 
away that new aluminum frying-pan I brought 
along. I borrowed it from our cook at home just 
because it was so big and nice and shiny, as well 
as light. I carefully put it on this nail here, and 
Jim says he never once touched it, yet you can see 
it’s gone. Did anybody glimpse a sign of it 
around?” 

“Here, who’s started to playing tricks in this 
camp so early?” called Dan Fenwick, indignantly. 
“My nickel watch was in my vest pocket when I 
undressed, but it’s disappeared like smoke. Mr. 
Bartlett, make the fellow own up who took it, 
won’t you please?” 


CHAPTER X 


THINGS BEGIN TO VANISH 

“Are you fellows joking, or is all you’re saying 
true?” demanded Phil Harkness; while the others 
began to crane their necks and stare at Dan and 
Peg. 

“Honest Injun, the frying-pan has cleared out, 
and if it doesn’t turn up, why Sunny Jim and I 
will have to do the best we can with these com- 
mon sheet iron ones,” Peg grumbled. “And that 
isn’t the worst of it, either, because just think 
what’ll happen to me when I get home again.” 

“And you can see for yourselves that my vest 
pocket doesn’t show a sign of my little nickel 
watch,” added Dan, with a shrug of his shoulders 
and a quick look around, as though a suspicion had 
suddenly clutched hold of him. 

“But Dan,” interrupted Elmer Jones^ “seems 
to me that before we crawled into our blankets 
I saw you hang your watch on to that nail driven 
through the tent pole.” 

“Well, come to think of it, that’s just what I 
did do,” admitted the mourning Dan. “But you 
79 


80 THE F. ilf. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


don’t see any watch on that nail right now, do 
you?” and he rubbed his eyes vigorously as though 
trying to discover whether they could be playing 
a trick on him. 

Everybody agreed that the nail was destitute of 
any such appendage as a dollar nickel watch. Mr. 
Bartlett looked serious, but allowed the boys to 
talk it over. 

“Well, there’s no use mourning for lost things 
when breakfast is nearly ready,” declared good- 
natured Fred Bonnicastle. “Mebbe the watch is 
just having a little joke of its own, and will turn 
up later in some pocket of your clothes, Dan.” 

“I’m as hungry as a wolf!” called out Clint 
Babbett. 

“Huh! I could eat my weight, and then not 
half try,” ventured Nat Silmore. 

If the truth were told, Nat spoke up in this 
boyish way simply because he fancied some of the 
others were commencing to cast queer looks in his 
direction. 

Dan did not say anything more but he did much 
thinkii . Dick Horner was bothered. At first 
he concluded that it must be some boyish prank, 
and that presently the culprit would confess his 
guilt with shamefaced looks, realizing that after 
all it did not pay to play silly jokes, especially in 
a camp where strict discipline was to be main- 
tained. 


THINGS BEGIN TO VANISH 


81 


The more Dick thought it over, however, the 
less inclined he was to view it in such a simple 
light. So far as the vanishing watch was con- 
cerned that might pass current, for every one knew 
how much Dan thought of the present from his 
father on his last birthday; but when the disap- 
pearance of the cooking pan was considered, what 
boy would be silly enough to hide that? 

That the subject was in the minds of most of 
the campers was evident, for while they were en- 
joying breakfast the thing came up again. It was 
Peg who introduced it by saying: 

“Seems to me Mr. Nocker knew what he was 
saying when he warned us to beware of that thief 
up here on Bass Island. Looks as if we ought to 
chain things down good and tight every time we 
go to sleep, because they do seem to have a queer 
way of walking off.” 

Humbert Loft was seen to curl his lip, and those 
close to him heard him give a scornful sniff while 
he observed in his drawling, affected way: 

“It’s simply shocking, that’s what I think. Why, 
right now every individual in this camp is really 
under suspicion of being a vulgar thief I I never 
dreamed that I should find myself amidst such 
dreadful surroundings. I imagine some of my 
ancestors would turn in their graves with horror 
if they knew a Loft had the finger of suspicion 
pointed at him.” 


82 THE Y. M.C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


He looked as though his appetite had been 
taken away by the thought. The boys, however, 
being no respecters of persons, only laughed. 

“The walking’s good between here and the sta- 
tion, Humbert !” remarked one. 

“And there’s sure to be a train for Cliffwood 
before night, you know,” another told him in a 
mocking tone. 

Humbert turned red, but for all that there was 
a glint of defiance in his eyes, Dick noticed, when 
he flung back his answer. 

“Oh! I suppose we’re all in one boat, boys, and 
if you can stand it I ought to be able to do so. On 
the whole. I’ll reconsider your offer of some of 
that bacon, Eddie. Perhaps it may start my slug- 
gish appetite, who knows?” 

“But who can it be, hanging around here and 
stealing everything he can lay his hands on?” per- 
sisted Phil Harkness. 

“Might be some lunatic that’s escaped from the 
asylum and is hiding in the woods and brush on 
the island!” intimated Peg. 

The suggestion met with some favor, several 
of the boys agreeing that there might be a grain 
of truth in such a thing. 

The two camp leaders were amused, as well as 
puzzled, by all this talk, and waited to see what 
would come of it. 

“I’ve read a lot about the queer things people 


THINGS BEGIN TO VANISH 


83 


out of their minds keep on doing,” Andy Hale 
asserted. “But it seems to me if a crazy man were 
hanging around up here our grub would be the 
first thing he’d tackle.” 

“Well,” Clint observed, sagaciously, “he might 
have done that if we hadn’t been wise enough to 
stack about all of the grub in the other cabin, and 
fasten the door.” 

Dick said nothing, but did considerable think- 
ing. For once he was ready to admit that the 
mystery of the night gave birth to unusually puz- 
zling questions that would have to be solved if 
they hoped to enjoy their outing on Bass Island, 
and he resolved to talk the matter over with Mr. 
Bartlett and Mr. Rowland as soon as he had an 
opportunity. 

“We might set some sort of trap for the rascal, 
and make him a prisoner,” suggested Andy Hale, 
thoughtfully. “Now I reckon I could manage 
to fix up a deadfall such as they trap bears with 
in the Maine woods.” 

“But that’d be apt to hurt the poor fellow, or 
even kill him,” protested Clint Babbett. 

“With a rope and a bent sapling I can show 
you how they trap alligators in some countries,” 
spoke up another boy eagerly. “I was reading 
about it only last week, and actually tried it on 
our dog. Why, when the sapling was released the 
noose in the rope tightened around both his hind 


84 THE Y, M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


legs, and the first thing I knew there was poor 
old Carlo hanging head down, and yelping to beat 
the band. I had to cut the rope in a big hurry 
because he acted like a wild thing.” 

“How would that sort of thing go, Dick?” 
asked Leslie, with a wink at his chum. 

“Well,” replied the other, with one of his 
smiles and a glance toward Mr. Bartlett, “I hardly 
think any of us would want to be so cruel as to 
hang a human being up by the legs, with his head 
down; and especially if, as we suspect, he should 
be one who was out of his mind and not responsible 
for what he did.” 

Somehow in all the talk that flew around con- 
cerning the important subject Dick could not but 
notice that there were two of the boys who seemed 
to be tongue-tied. 

These were Dan Fenwick and Asa Gardner. 

Dick could easily comprehend why Dan should 
keep silent, because, as the loser of the watch that 
had so strangely vanished, Dan was feeling more 
or less morose. And then again, when Dick con- 
sidered what the past reputation of Asa Gardner 
had been he felt that there was some reason why 
the new boy should not seek to draw attention to 
himself. 

Asa certainly looked troubled. He listened to 
all that was said, turning his eyes from speaker to 
speaker, but uttering not a word himself. When 


THINGS BEGIN TO VANISH 


85 


any one addressed him, merely asking him if he 
would have another cup of coffee or a little more 
bacon, Asa always gave a violent start and drew 
in his breath with a sigh before replying one way 
or the other. 

Breakfast was finally finished and the boys 
hung around waiting for Mr. Bartlett to read the 
programme for the day. 

He and Mr. Rowland were busy with the details 
of that programme, and Dick had not yet found 
the opportune moment for speaking to the camp 
leader. Dan came over to Dick’s side the first 
favorable chance he had. 

“I want to speak to you about something queer, 
Dick,” he remarked, as he threw himself down 
and looked carefully around, as though to make 
sure some one he had in mind was far enough 
away not to overhear what he expected to say. 

“All right,” Dick told him, “fire away. I can 
be keeping up my work on this home-made broom 
of twigs which we’ll have to use to sweep with. 
Is it about your watch?” 

“Just what it is, Dick,” the other went on to 
say, gloomily. “In a nutshell then, I happened to 
wake up in the night, and saw some one walking 
between me and the fire. And Dick, it was Asa 
Gardner !” 


CHAPTER XI 


MR. HOLWELL GETS THE WELCOMING CHEER 

Dick heard the other make this accusation with 
a sinking heart. Could it be possible after all 
Asa Gardner was guilty of taking the things that 
has disappeared? 

“Why, when you stop to think of it, Dan,” he 
told his informant, “while a boy given to pilfering 
might carry off a watch if sorely tempted, what 
earthly use would he have for Peg’s new aluminum 
frying-pan?” 

This seemed to be a poser, and Dan shrugged 
his shoulders and made a whimsical face. A new 
idea came to him, however, and almost immedi- 
ately he spoke up again. 

“Well it’s just this way, Dick. My mother 
always said that taking things as some people do 
becomes a disease with them. I’ve read of wealthy 
women who steal things in stores. They call them 
kleptomaniacs. That means they take all sorts 
of things when they see a good chance, even if they 
haven’t the least bit of use for the same.” 

“Then your mother thinks Asa was influenced 
86 


THE WELCOMING CHEER 


87 


that way when some people called him light-fin- 
gered, and some of them said he was a common 
thief?” continued Dick. 

“Yes, that’s what she thought,” replied Dan. 
“You know Fve got the dearest mother of any 
fellow in all Cliffwood, and she hates to think 
badly of any boy.” 

“And we mustn’t forget that Asa hasn’t any 
mother — now,” added Dick softly, as he cast a 
pitying look across to where the object of their 
conversation was helping Sunny Jim gather to- 
gether the breakfast dishes and pans, and acting 
as though he really liked the work. 

“I hate myself for suspecting him, Dick,” honest 
Dan went on to say. “And so far as my losing 
that watch goes I don’t mean to push the thing 
any further. Whoever took it is welcome to his 
booty, for all of me.” 

“On my part,” said Dick, firmly, “I feel differ- 
ent about it. We can’t go on this way, losing 
things, and even suspecting each other. The mys- 
tery must be cleared up sooner or later. I’ll step 
over and get to talking with Asa. Perhaps I can 
ask him if he happened to be up during the night. 
I’d like it if we could go to Mr. Bartlett and tell 
him the whole thing was straightened out.” 

“Oh, what’s the use of going to Asa?” objected 
Dan. “He’s sure to deny it. I wonder now,” he 
added, after a pause, “if there could be such a 


88 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


thing as Asa, or any other fellow here, for that 
matter, being a sleep walker?” 

Dick gave a little whistle of surprise at hearing 
such a startling suggestion. 

“You certainly do have the most original ideas 
of any fellow going, Dan,” he remarked. “Such 
a thing might happen, of course, but there’d be 
small chance of it up here, with twenty boys in 
camp.” 

“Except for my waking up at the time I did,” 
urged the other, “nobody’d have known about 
Asa’s being on his feet in the dead of night. But 
after you’ve had your little talk with him tell me 
what comes of it, will you?” 

“I certainly will,” promised Dick. 

Shortly afterwards he joined Asa, and entered 
into conversation with the boy. A little later on 
Dick came sauntering back to where Dan was sit- 
ting, waiting for the summons to gather on the 
“campus” which had not yet been given. 

“Well, did he deny being abroad in the night, 
Dick?” eagerly asked the other, taking care to 
speak in a low voice. 

“Not a bit,” Dick told him. “I never even had 
to ask hirn. We were talking about whether it 
would pay to keep the fire going at night when 
Asa of his own accord remarked that it was still 
blazing feebly when he felt so thirsty that he had 
to crawl out and go over to where we keep the 


THE WELCOMING CHEER 


89 


bucket of spring water with the dipper. And he 
added that while he was not quite sure, because 
he had not got fully used to reading the time of 
night by the stars, he thought it must have been 
somewhere in the neighborhood of one o’clock.” 

Dan looked thoughtful on hearing that. 

“Tell you what, Dick,” he said presently. “I’m 
going to try to forget all about my watch. Let it 
go at that. So Asa is trying to be a real woods- 
man, is he? Well, I wish him luck then.” 

With that he walked away, and Dick, looking 
after him, said to himself that Dan Fenwick had 
a heart in his breast several sizes too big for him. 

Dick later on often found himself watching Asa 
Gardner when he fancied the other was not notic- 
ing. He could see that the boy was not wholly 
at ease for some reason. Still Dick would not 
allow himself to believe that Asa was guilty. 

“I can’t forget that day I saw him lying there 
on his mother’s grave and promising her never 
to break his word if it killed him fighting off the 
old temptation,” Dick kept telling himself again 
and again. “No, Asa can’t be guilty, but all the 
same I’ll feel a heap happier when we do find out 
who the thief is.” 

Presently the boys were summoned into the big 
tent where Mr. Bartlett carried out the usual short 
chapel service, for every camp of the Y. M. C. A. 
is conducted on a religious basis. 


90 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“I am ready now,” announced the camp direc- 
tor, “to give you a part of the duties of the day. 
At noon I shall have formed my plans for the rest 
of the time, and by to-morrow we shall have gotten 
things to running smoothly. In the first place this 
camp is going to be no place for idlers. Every 
boy will have a share in the work and be expected 
to do his level best in keeping the camp tidy, doing 
the chores, and, in fact, whatever is given into 
his charge. 

“Mr. Rowland, who will have entire charge of 
the athletic proceedings, has arranged a splendid 
series of events that he expects will create a 
healthy rivalry among many of the boys who are 
now with us. Prizes will be given to those who 
excel in nature study, photography, swimming, 
diving, rowing, life-saving feats, woodcraft, and a 
number of other things along the same lines. And 
now if you listen I will read the programme for 
this morning, so that every one may know just 
what he is expected to do.” 

The boys showed a keen interest in what the 
camp director was saying, although Nat and his 
two cronies still looked disappointed, because they 
did not fancy the idea of being bound down to 
iron-clad rules and regulations when they had 
expected to loaf and to have a roaring good time. 

The vicinity of the camp soon took on a bustling 
atmosphere. Some planks had been brought from 


THE WELCOMING CHEER 


91 


the station on one of the wagons. Th^se some of 
the boys, who aspired to be amateur carpenters, 
managed to fashion into a very good table, large 
enough to allow them all to be seated at the same 
time, to replace the rougher one thrown together 
when they first landed. 

This could be moved at will, so that in case of 
bad weather they would be able to take their meals 
under the shelter of the big tent. Ordinarily, 
however, they preferred dining in the open, for 
the charm of the thing appealed to the campers. 

A number of rude benches had also been put 
together, so that things would look quite com- 
fortable by the time another meal was ready to 
be served. 

Being appealed to by several ardent fishermen, 
the camp director had given them permission to 
make good use of the handy little minnow seine 
made of mosquito netting. The bait thus secured 
could be kept alive in a basin constructed near the 
edge of the lake, into which water from a spring 
trickled. 

Having taken all the bait they needed with a 
few hauls, the boys were given the privilege of 
going out in one of the boats to try the fishing. 
Certain localities were selected that appealed to 
their instinct as places where the wary bass would 
be apt to stay during these hot summer days. 

When later on the fishermen returned it was 


92 THE Y. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


discovered that they had met with great success. 
Quite enough prizes had been taken to provide a 
iish course for the entire party. 

“Some of them are whoppers in the Bargain,” 
remarked Peg Fosdick, proudly, for he had been 
a member of the angling party. “Why, that big 
fellow must weigh all of three pounds ! And how 
he did jump and pull ! I thought he’d break my 
rod or line several times. I never before took 
such a dandy bass.” 

“This island is well named then, it seems,” ob- 
served Dick, with something of satisfaction in his 
voice as he looked at the splendid strings of fish. 
Dick himself dearly loved to spend an hour with 
hook and line, and feel the thrill that always 
raced through his system when a gamy fish had 
been secured, fighting frantically for freedom. 

“Who’s going to meet Mr. Holwell this after- 
noon, sir?” asked Fred Bonnicastle, as they sat 
around the new table that noon with one of the 
camp heads at either end and eagerly devoured the 
lunch that Sunny Jim, assisted by a couple of the 
boys, had prepared for them. 

Harry Bartlett had been a boy himself only a 
few years back, and he could easily understand 
what unasked question lay back of that remark. 

“You may go, for one, Fred,” he told the other. 
“Take Asa along with you. He seems to have 
taken a fancy to rowing, and has entered in that 


THE WELCOMING CHEER 


93 


class for a prize. The exercise will do him good 
in the bargain. I have other duties I want the 
rest of you to attend to, there is so much to be 
done before Camp Russabaga assumes the com- 
plete aspect we all want it to wear when Mr. Hol- 
well arrives this evening.” 

Asa shot the leader a look of sincere gratitude, 
though he did not say anything. As a rule Asa 
was not a talkative boy, and some of them noticed 
that of late he had seemed to be brooding more 
than usual. 

During the earlier part of the afternoon many 
things were accomplished, for under the direction 
of the physical instructor the boys worked like 
beavers. 

“About time you were starting across to the 
landing, Fred and Asa,” announced Mr. Bartlett, 
finally, as he consulted his watch. 

The pair went off, heading for the mainland. 
Mr. Holwell had promised to arrive on the train 
that reached the little station at four o’clock. He 
would take a team to bring him to the camp, and 
hoped to be on hand long before sundown. 

It lacked a few minutes of five now, and dinner 
was being gotten ready, though the fish would not 
be put on the fire or the coffee started until just 
as the minister should arrive at the landing on 
the main shore. 

Asa persisted in doing the rowing across, and 


94 THE Y. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

even asked Fred to let him handle the oars on the 
return trip. 

“You see I need all this outdoor exercise I can 
get,’’ he explained, and the request was so unusual 
that Fred, of course, obligingly granted him per- 
mission. 

“I ought to be satisfied to act as the skipper of 
the craft, and take my ease, Asa,” he went on to 
say, laughingly, as he lay in the stern, and stretched 
his long legs out comfortably; “so just please your- 
self. I’m always ready to oblige a willing worker.” 

After a while those on the island heard a series 
of loud shouts, and they managed to make out a 
team that had arrived at the landing. Mr. Hol- 
well then had not failed them, and every one in 
the camp felt pleased at the idea of having him 
with them. When a man loves boys from the 
bottom of his heart it invariably happens that they 
regard him with something of the same sort of 
affection. 

“There, he’s getting into the boat now I” called 
out Clint Babbett, whose keen eyes were able to 
keep track of passing events across that mile of 
water better than most of the others. “And say I 
it looks as if he’s brought a heap of packages 
along with him.” 

“Sure thing,” laughed Peg Fosdick, rubbing his 
stomach vigorously. “Mr. Holwell was a boy 
himself once on a time, and he’s never forgotten 


THE WELCOMING CHEER 


95 


that a fellow gets as hungry as a cannibal every 
little while. I reckon now he concluded that we’d 
underestimated our holding capacity, and that 
we’d nearly starve unless he brought along a new 
lot of supplies.” 

“There they start,” said Mr. Bartlett, presently. 
“When the boat draws in near our landing be 
ready to give our honored guest the glad welcome 
cheer.” 

Closer it drew, under the steady strokes of Asa 
Gardner. Finally, there arose a roar of voices, 
accompanied by the violent waving of hats and 
handkerchiefs, that made the minister’s heart beat 
a little faster than its wont with pleasure. 


CHAPTER XII 


HAPPENINGS OF THE SECOND NIGHT 

When Mr. Holwell stepped ashore to shake 
hands heartily all around he looked very happy 
indeed. 

“Pm delighted to be with you, boys,” he told 
them again and again, in his sincere way that 
always drew young people to him. 

“The feeling is mutual then, sir,” spoke up Peg 
Fosdick, bluntly; “because we’re just tickled half 
to death to see you up here at Camp Russabaga. 
And now, you assistant cooks, suppose you get 
busy with dinner. Mr. Holwell will be awfully 
hungry after his journey, and Sunny Jim can’t do 
it all by himself.” 

The camp director, accompanied by Dick as his 
assistant, took the newcomer around to show him 
what had been accomplished. As Mr. Holwell 
had never set eyes on the big lake before he was 
greatly impressed with the picture he saw in the 
dying sunlight. 

“Wait until sunset, sir,” said Dick, eagerly, 
and if it’s anything like we had last evening, with 
0 


THE SECOND NIGHT 


97 


the whole sky painted in colors, you’ll surely say 
you never saw the equal of it.” 

“I want to remark right now, Mr. Bartlett, 
that your boys have done exceedingly well to get 
this camp in the condition it is. I’ve been in camps 
before now, and, as a rule, the campers are a 
happy-go-lucky set, willing to shirk work so as to 
have what they call a good time. But here every- 
thing seems to have a place, and to be where it 
belongs. Order is a fine thing for any boy to 
learn; and cleanliness comes next to godliness.” 

The minister watched the preparations for the 
meal with kindling eyes. His memory took him 
back a good many years to the times when he was 
a boy himself; and he could appreciate the enthus- 
iasm with which Sunny Jim and his helpers went 
at their pleasing task of getting the good things 
to eat ready for the table. 

And then that dinner — what a royal one it 
turned out to be! After the simple and earnest 
grace the meal was served. Mr. Holwell show- 
ered unstinted praise on everything that came be- 
fore him. The fish were broiled to a turn, the 
coffee was real ambrosia fit for the gods, the 
potatoes had been baked just right, the succotash 
made him constantly feel like asking for more. 
And, winding up with a dish of rice and milk and 
sugar, he declared it to be better than any pudding 
he had tasted for years. 


98 THE F. M. C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“I think Mr. Holwell is getting his camp appe- 
tite in order right away,” suggested Peg, who, of 
course, was delighted to have the culinary efforts 
praised in this fashion. 

“To tell the truth,” admitted the minister, 
frankly, “I consider that I showed most wonderful 
sagacity in fetching along additional supplies with 
me, because if I stir up any more appetite than I 
seem to have to-night there’ll be a terrible drain 
on your stock of provisions.” 

“Oh! we know where there’s a farm only two 
miles away,” said Phil, “and to-morrow half a 
dozen of us have been detailed by Mr. Bartlett to 
tramp over there and get all the eggs and fresh 
butter and such things we can lug back with us.” 

“And as long as those dandy bass are willing 
to take our minnows,” added Peg, “we ought to 
keep the wolf from the door, somehow or other.” 

After the meal they piled high the campfire, and 
when the dishes had been looked after every one 
sat around in various attitudes, either taking part 
in the brisk conversation or listening to what Mr. 
Holwell and the camp leaders said in the way of 
congratulation and advice. 

Finally, several were discovered surreptitiously 
yawning, and Dick realized that the bed hour 
had arrived. So interesting had the talk been that 
none of them had paid any attention to the flight 
of time. 


THE SECOND NIGHT 


99 


“Where am I going to sleep ?” asked Mr. Hol- 
well, when Harry Bartlett explained that nine 
o’clock was the hour set in the camp for retiring. 
Moreover, they had put in a strenuous day from 
before sunrise, and consequently all the boys were 
tired. 

“We have provided a cot in the tent we occupy, 
Mr. Holwell,” explained the physical director. 
“Some of the boys have made us a small table for 
our few toilet articles, shaving things, and such. 
Besides, we have a couple of folding chairs. Only 
for a shortage of tents we should have been glad 
to give you one to yourself, sir.” 

The minister shook his head vigorously at that. 

“I am glad you didn’t,” he told them, smilingly. 
“I am no tenderfoot when it comes to camping, 
you will find; for in days that are past I wandered 
over many parts of the world, and even faced 
many perils. I have slept in the igloo of an 
Esquimau, as well as under the haircloth tent 
of a desert Bedouin. I would never stand for 
being given accommodations that differed in any 
degree from those of the boys.” 

When they heard him say that, some of the 
campers felt like shouting their appreciation, only 
thus early in the outing they had come to under- 
stand that boisterous ways must be kept under 
control. 

Somehow or other, there had been so much to 


100 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

talk about while they sat around the bright crack- 
ling fire after supper that no one had thought to 
mention the little mystery of the first night of their 
stay on Bass Island. 

Dick remembered about it when he was un- 
dressing, and was half tempted to break rules 
by crossing over to the tent where the three 
gentlemen were to sleep, with the intention of 
speaking to Mr. Holwell. 

“What’s the use?” he asked himself on second 
thought. “It would only bother him more or less, 
and perhaps make him have a sleepless night; be- 
cause I’m sure he’d begin to think something about 
poor Asa. In the morning I’ll watch my chance 
and tell him about it.” 

Accordingly, Dick held his peace. His tent 
mates were Leslie Capes, Peg and Andy Hale, all 
congenial companions, and Dick expected consid- 
erable enjoyment during the nights they would be 
together. 

Talking aloud was prohibited after half-past 
nine, so that if any fellows like Nat and his 
cronies, who had their quarters together, wished 
to converse they would have to do it in whispers. 

Mr. Bartlett had laid down strict rules, and the 
penalties for breaking these would fall heavily 
on the heads of the offenders. Curtailing all privi- 
leges might cause the guilty ones to repent of 
having been so rash. 


THE SECOND NIGHT 


101 


For once in their lives Nat, Dit and Alonzo 
found it necessary to do as they were told; and 
they were already regretting their step in deciding 
to accompany the campers on the outing. 

Dick had purposely chosen a particular spot 
near the exit when arranging his blanket. He did 
this for several reasons. In the first place he liked 
the idea of attending to the fire in case he hap- 
pened to wake up during the night, just as all old 
woodsmen and hunters were in the habit of doing, 
Dick understood. Then again, if there came any 
sort of alarm, and he wished to get out in a hurry, 
it would be more convenient for him than if he 
had to stumble over several boys who were begin- 
ning to sit up and get in the way. 

Truth to tell, about this time the mysterious 
events of the preceding night began to take hold 
of his mind. Much to his chagrin, for some little 
time Dick could not banish them, try as he would. 

“Here, this will never do,” he finally told him- 
self after he had turned over as many as four 
different times, his thoughts busy all the while. 
“Just forget everything but the one fact that you’re 
sleepy, and it’s getting pretty late.” 

Resolutely holding his mind in check after that, 
the boy finally succeeded in falling asleep though 
it required considerable force of character to con- 
trol his feverish thoughts. 

Several hours must have crept by when Dick 


102 THE Y. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


chanced to awaken. One of his arms felt numb 
from»the*weight of his body which had been resting 
on it. 

“I suppose I might as well throw a log on the 
lire while I’m about it,” he told himself, as, yawn- 
ing, he commenced to push aside his blanket and 
crawl forth. “And a few swallows of that cool 
water wouldn’t go bad either, for I’m thirsty after 
all that salty ham I ate.” 

The moon was well up in the heavens when he 
crept forth from the shelter of the tent and was 
shining just as brilliantly as on the preceding night. 
Without making any sort of noise calculated to 
disturb even a light sleeper Dick crossed over to 
where the flickering fire lay 

As he did so something caused him to glance 
beyond, and he felt a thrill as he believed he 
caught a glimpse of a crouching moving figure 
over by the bushes. 



“WHY, IT’S GONE!” MUTTERED DICK. 
The Y. M. C. A. Boys on Bass Island 


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CHAPTER XIII 


THE MYSTERY GROWS DEEPER 

“Why, iPs gone!” muttered Dick, immediately 
afterwards, for the object that he had seen so 
dimly had now vanished. 

He stepped over to the red ashes and threw 
on some small stuff that, taking fire immediately, 
blazed up brightly and allowed him to see much 
better. 

“I wonder if it slipped into those bushes, or 
went around another way?” he asked himself. 

Was it one of the campers he had seen slipping 
along in a bent-over attitude, or could it have been 
a shadow moving? Dick’s heart was thumping 
against his ribs, for he was more or less excited 
over the occurrence, especially after what had 
happened on the preceding night. 

“I’d like to see if anybody is missing from his 
blanket,” he continued to mutter, “but to do that 
I’d have to wake the whole bunch up, and there 
would be the mischief to pay. Perhaps I fooled 
myself after all, and just imagined I was seeing 
things.” 


103 


104 THE F. M, C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

So concluding to let the matter rest until morn- 
ing came, Dick proceeded to toss a couple of big 
pine-knots, that would burn for several hours, on 
the fire. Then he glanced dubiously around him 
once more, after which he returned to his blanket. 

But not to sleep immediately, for his brain was 
too excited for that. Indeed, the boy lay there, 
turning from side to side, until the morning star 
had arisen above the horizon and shone in upon 
him, which fact announced that it was three 
o’clock. 

After that his tired brain allowed him to forget 
his troubles for a time; and when he opened his 
eyes again the first peep of dawn had come. 

Dick crawled softly out and proceeded to get 
into some clothes. There was no need of arousing 
everybody in the camp at such an early hour, and 
he knew very well that if he chanced to awaken 
some of the noisy ones there would be no further 
peace until the last sleeper had been dislodged. 

He was building up the fire a little later when 
Leslie appeared in his pajamas, stretching himself, 
having evidently just awakened. 

“Always the first to be on deck, Dick; there’s 
no getting ahead of you,” he said. And then he 
added: “But why are you looking over our cook- 
ing outfit that way? Peg made sure to hide the 
aluminum kettle he brought along, if that’s what 
you miss. He said it was bad enough to lose his 


THE MYSTERY GROWS DEEPER 105 


frying-pan without having the kettle follow it.” 

“I had forgotten,” remarked Dick, relieved, 
and it was evident that he had feared the un- 
known thief had paid the camp another of his 
nocturnal visits. 

“Looks as if we might have another good day,” 
continued Leslie, as he began to change from his 
pajamas to his “work clothes,” as he called the 
old suit he had been wise enough to wear on this 
outing. 

“I certainly hope we shall have a bright day,” 
Dick observed, “because Mr. Rowland has a pro- 
gramme laid out that fills in the whole of it for 
everybody.” 

“I can see that they mean the boys sha’n’t rust 
out while we’re up here on Bass Island,” chuckled 
Leslie. “They believe with the ant that every 
shining hour ought to be improved, because there’s 
always lots to do.” 

“Oh I it isn’t that alone,” he was told, calmly. 
“As Mr. Holwell says, boys have just got to be 
doing something all the time or they’ll think up 
mischief; so it’s policy to chain that restlessness to 
good works. Most of us seem to like it first-rate 
in the bargain.” 

“Haven’t heard the first whine so far,” ad- 
mitted Leslie. “Those boys from the mill are 
certainly doing great stunts. They never had a 
chance before really to camp out decently, with 


106 THE F. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


plenty to eat along. And then there’s Nat and 
his cronies behaving like human beings for once, 
though I shouldn’t be surprised if they did man- 
age to break out before we get home again.” 

“Let’s hope not,” said Dick. 

Several other boys now made their appearance. 
They were not in the habit of getting out of bed 
at such an early hour at home; but in camp the 
surroundings were so entirely different that they 
could not get to sleep again, once they opened 
their eyes at daybreak and heard whispering going 
on outside. Besides, they expected the bugle to 
sound at any minute now. 

Then again with some of them it was a case 
of hunger, for those terrible appetites had taken 
complete possession of them, and hardly had they 
disposed of one meal than they began to talk of 
what th<5y would like to have for the next one. 

Eddie Grant and Ban Jansen, being the assist- 
ant cooks for the morning, were soon helping 
Sunny Jim. Peg hovered near them, having first 
of all hastened to where he had secreted his alum- 
inum kettle which he brought back to the kitchen 
department with considerable satisfaction, if the 
grin on his face meant anything. 

“Gave us the go-by last night, it seems, Dick,” 
he observed, as he flourished the shiny article in 
which their rice had been cooked on the preceding 
night. 


THE MYSTERY GROWS DEEPER 107 


“I hope we won’t be troubled any more by hav- 
ing our things disappear,” was all Dick remarked, 
for somehow he did not feel altogether certain 
that the crisis had passed by. 

Just then the loud notes of the bugle sounded, 
for Harry Bartlett had practised the various army 
calls and had them down to perfection, from the 
“reveille” to the “assembly” and “"taps.” 

Once again the boys went through the custom- 
ary manual drill, while Mr. Holwell, ready for 
his morning bath, stood and watched the display 
with considerable interest. 

“I can see that you mean your boys shall get 
the full benefit of their outing up here, Mr. Row- 
land,” he told the athletic trainer as all started 
down to the brim of the lake to enjoy a brief 
plunge. “I can easily understand now what won- 
derful benefit any lad is sure to get from a few 
weeks spent in one of the many Y. M. C. A. camps 
spread all over this broad land, especially if they 
are being conducted on the same principles you 
and Mr. Bartlett have instituted here.” 

“Oh I this is only a very small edition, sir,” 
laughed the other, who had had considerable ex- 
perience in Y. M. C. A. camps. “I’ve been in 
camps where there were as many as a hundred 
and fifty boys and young fellows coming and going 
all summer.” 

“When you have time,” said the minister. 


108 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 

eagerly, “I wish you would tell me more about 
how these wonderful camps are conducted, As 
you say our attempt is only a small beginning, but 
if all goes well next season we can have this camp 
running for two months. Mr. Nocker has become 
greatly interested in the matter, and offers to erect 
a few buildings up here, such as an ice-house, a 
dining hall, and the like, though tents would still 
be used for sleeping purposes.” 

“I am delighted to hear that, sir,” said the 
athletic instructor, warmly. “From what I have 
seen I believe this to be one of the finest move- 
ments ever started to give boys the right kind of 
outdoor life under clean and religious surround- 
ings. They can have all the fun necessary, and 
at the same time build up both their bodies and 
their minds in a healthy fashion. Now if you will 
watch I can show you some of the work of our 
life-saving corps. You will see that with such 
well-trained helpers there will be no danger of 
even the most timid or awkward bather incurring 
any risk of losing his life.” 

Mr. Holwell was deeply interested. 

“Tell me more about the life-saving crew, and 
what requirements they must be able to meet be- 
fore they are fully qualified to serve as members 
in good standing,” he asked the athletic director, 
as they stood, after coming out of the water them- 
selves, watching all that went on. 


THE MYSTERY GROWS DEEPER 109 


“I shall do so with pleasure,” replied the other, 
his eyes sparkling. Truth to tell, that was the 
very thing he took the keenest interest in. “You 
see the crew in one of the big Y. M. C. A. camps 
is really an auxiliary branch of the United States 
Volunteer Life-saving Corps. To become a mem* 
ber a boy must pass through a stiff test. This con- 
sists of swimming one hundred yards, using three 
different strokes; swimming on the back without 
the use of his hands ; swimming one hundred yards, 
starting with his clothes on, and removing them 
while doing it; diving into water about eight feet 
deep for a ten-pound rock, and bringing it to 
shore; knowing how to handle a boat, and being 
familiar with its different parts, as well as tying 
various sailor knots.” 

Mr. Holwell looked surprised. 

“Quite an education in itself, I should say,” he 
remarked. 

“Oh I that is only a beginning,” continued the 
other. “The candidate must show himself ca- 
pable of rescuing a drowning person, and must 
actually carry him to safety. He must be able 
to break a ‘death-grip’ so as to be in a position to 
keep himself from being dragged d6wn by a fran- 
tic victim of cramps. He must also know the best 
way to resuscitate a person who has apparently 
been drowned. When a young fellow can pass 
this strict examination with flying colors he re- 


110 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


ceives a certificate from headquarters, and is 
entitled to wear the official badge.” 

“And that whistle which you have just given 
three times, calling the boys up out of the water — 
does that stand for anything in particular?” asked 
the minister, as the entire party hurried to their 
tents to rub down and dress. 

“Yes, indeed, sir,” he was told. “That is the 
emergency whistle when we are in camp. When- 
ever it is sounded every life-saver runs for the 
shore, ready for business. It is on this account 
that scores of big camps are held every summer 
without a single drowning. Parents may feel 
perfectly safe in allowing their boys to spend a 
term at such well protected camps.” 

“I shall never hear three blasts from a whistle 
again,” said Mr. Holwell, “but that I shall think 
of this time up here.” 

“Indeed, sir,” continued Mr. Rowland, “I 
understand that some of the young volunteer life- 
savers on returning to the city after a summer in 
the woods, confess to having a shock whenever 
they hear a whistle. When the emergency call 
sounds, no matter whether in the midst of the 
swimming hour or at dead of night, the rule is to 
drop everything and run.” 

Dick had noticed that Asa Gardner seemed to 
be enjoying himself greatly when in the water. 
He was turning out to be a clever swimmer. Evi- 


THE MYSTERY GROWS DEEPER 111 


dently, the boy had included this in his programme 
when he decided to take all the open air exercise 
he could. Dick mentioned the fact to Peg while 
they were dressing as fast as they could, urged on 
to speed by the odor of breakfast that was in the 
air. 

“Why, yes,” the other boy remarked, immedi- 
ately, “that fellow acts as if he had sprung from 
a fish family.” 

“What makes you say that?” demanded Dick, 
smiling at the same time on account of the queer 
way Peg had of describing things. 

“Oh ! only that he seems to go fairly wild when 
he gets in the lake,” was the reply. “Eddie Grant 
says he really believes Asa can stay under water 
longer than any fellow he ever knew. And did 
you see him dive off that high tree stump over- 
hanging the edge of the deep hole? He turned a 
complete somersault in the air, and struck the 
water as clean as a knife. Mr. Rowland compli- 
mented him on his feat, though he also cautioned 
Asa to be careful not to overdo it.” 

“Yes, Asa is improving right along,” confessed 
Dick. At the same time he could not help wonder- 
ing deep down in his mind whether the strange 
boy could be as successful in overcoming his one 
terrible fault as he seemed to be in regaining his 
health. For somehow Dick could not quite forget 
about the shadowy figure that had vanished from 


112 THE Y, M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


his sight on the preceding night, not far from the 
tent where he knew Asa had been quartered. 

“I never thought he had it in him,” admitted 
Peg; “but I’m ready to say Asa is beginning to 
pick up considerably, and show the stuff he’s made 
of.” 

It was kind of Peg to say that, for, truth to 
tell, as Dick well knew, the other had had good 
reasons in the past for lo’oking on the lonely boy 
with anything but friendly feelings. But then Peg 
could never hold anything against another who 
showed signs of being sorry for faults. Peg be- 
lieved in giving every one a second, yes, even a 
third, chance to make amends. 

After finishing his dressing and coming outside 
again, Dick looked toward the tent which Mr. 
Holwell occupied. He knew the minister must 
be dressing, for he had seen him peer out once. 
Perhaps he was shaving, for he had laughingly 
said on the previous night that he hoped they did 
not have any iron-bound rules in the camp pro- 
hibiting brushing the hair, or using a razor during 
the whole stay, such as he had heard was the case 
with some outing parties. 

Just then Dan came along, and stopped to ex- 
change a few words with Dick. 

“To-morrow being Sunday, I expect we’ll be 
pretty quiet up here,” he observed; “so we ought 
to do all we can to-day. The fellows who go fish- 


THE MYSTERY GROWS BEEPER 113 


ing will have to try to get a double quantity, if 
we think to have a course dinner to-morrow. Fm 
one of the six selected by Mr. Bartlett to go over 
to that farm we heard about. If we can buy a few 
chickens or ducks or anything in that line, don’t 
you think we’d better go prepared to dicker?” 

“Not a bad scheme, Dan,” Dick told him. 
“And don’t forget that while there are just twenty- 
one of us all told, besides Mr. Holwell, Mr. 
Bartlett and our physical director, we’ve got the 
storage capacity of twice that number.” 

“Oh! we’ll take on all the supplies we can 
stagger under, make up your mind to that, Dick. 
But here comes Mr. Holwell straight this way, 
and, tell me, doesn’t he look kind of queer? I 
wonder if anything could have happened to him 
in the night.” 

Dick almost held his breath as the minister 
hurriedly drew near them. 

“A ridiculous thing has happened to me, Dick,” 
remarked the minister, as he reached them. “The 
very first night I’m in cam^) I have been guilty of 
the fault of carelessness. To tell you the truth, 
I am unable to find my gold watch this morning, 
though Harry Bartlett thinks I wound it up as 
usual, and hung my vest upon a nail driven part 
way into the tent pole.” 

Dick felt as though a cold hand had clutched 
his heart. He and Peg exchanged anxious looks. 


114 THE F. Af. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


but before either of them could say a word Mr. 
Holwell went on. 

“I wouldn’t care so much, you understand, boys, 
only it was presented to me years ago by my people 
in a church of which I formerly had charge, and 
consequently I value it many times over its intrin- 
sic worth. But, of course, I have mislaid it. Fll 
go back once more and turn things over. The 
chances are Fll find it where I placed it. On ac- 
count of my strange quarters and having no 
regular spot for it, I must have dropped it down 
at random and don’t know just where.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT 

Dick knew it would not come out that way. 
He seemed to “feel it in his bones” as he told 
Leslie afterwards, “that the terrible mystery with 
which they had been confronted on their first night 
in camp, was closing around them with even a 
tighter grip. 

When Mr. Holwell had left them to hasten 
back to his tent Dick and Dan looked at one 
another with blank expressions on their faces. 

“Whew I” gasped the latter. “Say, Dick, this 
is what I call piling it on thick.” 

“It begins to look like a bad business I must 
admit,” returned the other, trying to grasp the 
situation fully. 

“All these things couldn’t just happen by acci- 
dent, you see,” continued Dan, as if arguing with 
himself. “Mr. Holwell is a careful man, and 
wouldn’t be guilty of leaving so valuable a watch 
around loose, so it could be mixed up with the bed 
clothes in his tent. I tell you we’re up against a 
real old-fashioned mystery, and no mistake.” 


116 THE Y. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“There’s something queer going on around this 
camp, for a fact,” said Dick, and taking advantage 
of the fact that they were alone for a brief time 
he confided to Dan what he had seen during the 
night on coming suddenly out of his tent. 

The other was deeply impressed by the story. 
His eyes grew round with wonder and curiosity. 

“Let’s go over to Mr. Holwell’s tent and see 
if we can help him hunt,” he proposed presently. 
“I used to be a master-hand at finding lost things, 
and mebbe my luck may hold good in this case.” 

“I certainly hope it will, Dan. Nothing would 
tickle me more than to have you unearth that 
watch somewhere in his tent. All the same I don’t 
believe it can be done.” 

“Well, there’s no use crying over spilt milk, 
anyhow,” said Dan with philosophy. 

When the two boys reached the minister’s tent 
they met Mr. Holwell, accompanied by Mr. Bart- 
lett and Mr. Rowland, coming out. The minister 
looked a little grave and deeply puzzled, though 
on seeing the expression of anxiety on the faces 
of the two lads he smiled encouragingly. 

“We haven’t been able to find it so far, boys,” 
he remarked. “Suppose you step in and root 
around a bit. Young eyes are sharper than older 
ones. I hope it turns up, because I should very 
much dislike to lose anything that was endeared to 
me by so many precious memories.” 


TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT 117 


Although Dick and Dan turned everything 
upside down, they failed to discover any sign of 
the lost watch. Breakfast was soon announced 
and they were forced to abandon the search. 

Some of the other boys had noticed that some- 
thing unusual had happened. The doings of Dick 
and Dan had struck them as suspicious, especially 
after their previous experience. 

Accordingly, Harry Bartlett, knowing that there 
was no use of trying to keep things secret, an- 
nounced the new catastrophe that had befallen 
Russabaga Camp. It cam,e like a thunderbolt 
upon the assembled boys, who exchanged puzzled 
and anxious looks, as though a great fear had 
fallen upon them. 

Conversation languished after that. It was as 
though a wet blanket had been suddenly cast upon 
them. Every one was busy with his own thoughts, 
wondering if it could be possible that the dreadful 
finger of suspicion pointed anywhere in his direc- 
tion. 

Mr. Holwell it was after all who, laughing as 
though he did not have a care in the world, started 
to raise their spirits. 

“Come, this will never do,” he told them. “You 
look as if you had lost all interest in life. We 
mustn’t let a thing like this spoil the whole outing. 
Doubtless in good time the mystery will be cleared 
up. And now let’s talk of all our good friends 


118 THE F. ilf. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


here, Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Rowland, have plan- 
ned to do to-day.” 

By degrees he had the boys looking much more 
cheerful, though when they got together in clumps 
after the meal, the conversation was naturally 
almost wholly of the last strange happening. 

Nat and his two cronies were seen talking 
earnestly. Some of the others could hazard a 
pretty good guess as to what must be troubling 
the trio. This was a time when a person’s past 
reputation was going to come back to haunt him. 
Nat, aided and abetted by Dit and Alonzo, had 
engineered numerous dubious enterprises in times 
that were gone, some of them of a questionable 
nature. And now being reproached by their con- 
sciences, they felt that the others must of a 
certainty be eyeing them with suspicion. Alonzo 
showed signs of wanting to desert the camp at 
once, being only restrained from doing so by the 
stronger wills of his companions, who realized 
that this action would look too much like guilt. 

Altogether it was not a very happy lot that pro- 
ceeded to take up the various duties laid out for 
that morning, and in doing which they had ex- 
pected to enjoy themselves hugely. 

After the excitement had died down the six who 
had been selected to visit the farm went off in one 
of the two boats. And while the chosen fishermen 
were making deft use of the mosquito-net seine 


TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT 119 


in order to secure minnows for bait, Dick found 
an opportunity to have a little talk with Mr. Hol- 
well. 

Eddie Grant, Ban Jansen and Cub Mannis, with 
tin pails in their hands, hurried past, looking as 
though they meant business. 

“We have found where the blueberries are as 
thick as clover in a field,” called Ban. “It’ll be 
an easy job filling these pails by noon. Never 
saw such big berries as there are on this island. 
It’ll be a picnic getting stacks and stacks of ’em, 
and we can pay our way easily as we go.” 

Mr. Holwell looked at Dick on hearing this, 
as though he did not quite understand. Accord- 
ingly, the boy hastened to explain that Mr. Nocker 
had proposed that boys belonging to the associa- 
tion who wanted to go on the camping trip and 
could not spare the ready money to pay for their 
share of the expenses should earn enough while 
on the island by picking the blueberries that found 
a ready market in Cliffwood. 

“That’s a very good scheme,” declared the 
minister, smiling. “And it shows that our friend, 
Mr. Nocker, knows more about boys than some 
of us gave him credit for. Of course he could have 
offered to pay the way of Eddie and the rest, but 
after all it’s the wise thing to do to make boys 
feel that they have earned things, and are not 
objects of charity.” 


120 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Of course,” Dick went on to explain, “that sort 
of thing is unusual, and will break in on some of 
the customary rules that govern all Y. M. C. A. 
camps. But Mr. Bartlett says that after all this 
is only a beginning, and on that account we- can’t 
expect to do everything with perfect regularity.” 

“Another year,” said Mr. Holwell, “it may 
perhaps be different. We will find some way 
whereby a score or two of the mill hands can spend 
a week or two up at a regularly organized camp. 
And when we get things to working smoothly, 
such an outing is bound to be of great benefit to 
everybody concerned. I’m in it heart and soul, 
and so is Mr. Nocker.” 

“I want to talk with you a little more, sir,” 
said Dick, boldly, “about this queer disappearance 
of your watch. I wish now I had gone to Mr. 
Nocker and asked him to explain what he meant 
when just before leaving the meeting that night he 
warned us to beware of the thief up here in Bass 
Island.” 

“Did he say that?” demanded Mr. Holwell, 
quickly. “Then there must have been a reason 
for it. Others who have camped here, fishing 
parties, perhaps, have lost things. And Dick, what 
you have told me actually raises my spirits con- 
siderably, even if it does not promise to bring back 
my missing property.” 

Dick could understand. The kind-hearted 


TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT 121 


minister must have been oppressed by some of the 
same dreadful thoughts that ever since the first 
raid had been tugging at his own heart-strings. He 
feared that one of the boys might be guilty, and 
the very suspicion caused him unhappiness. It 
would be so much easier to bear if in the end the 
culprit proved to be some outside person, possibly 
a crazy man who had escaped from his keepers, 
as Peg had suggested. 

Long and earnestly did the minister and Dick 
converse while sitting there. Dick found much 
encouragement from what the gentleman told him. 
He even took occasion to mention the suspicions 
that had oppressed him concerning Asa Gardner ; 
* but Mr. Holwell shook his head as though deter- 
mined not to harbor such himself. 

“I have studied boy nature for many years, 
Dick,” he said, with feeling; “and I know how 
hard a fight poor Asa is doubtless putting up 
against the strange weakness that used to domi- 
nate him. The memory of his dead mother will 
cause him to be victorious in the struggle, I fully 
believe; and just now he needs all the encourage- 
ment he can get. And you are the one best fitted 
to stand by him as a faithful friend.” 

“I’ll willingly do everything I can to help him 
along,” said Dick, with a look of determination 
on his young face. “I’ve known times myself when 
I needed a friendly hand to help me along, but 


122 THE Y. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


ft'ever one half so much as he does. There go Nat 
and his two chums into the woods. Mr. Bartlett 
must have given them permission to explore the 
island.” 

“I wonder if they are thinking of hunting up 
Eddie’s crowd, and helping pick berries,” re- 
marked Mr. Holwell. “It would be a kindly thing 
if some of the other boys would lend a helping 
hand. The berry pickers will find it no easy task 
to collect enough at a few cents a quart to pay their 
expenses.” 

Although Dick did not say so, he was of the 
opinion that Nat and hib cronies were hardly the 
kind of boys to be anxious about anything except- 
ing their own welfare. 


CHAPTER XV 


DAN TELLS SOME WHOLESOME TRUTHS 

“How is Humbert Loft getting on with the rest 
of the boys?” asked Mr. Holwell, glancing over 
to where the lad in question was talking earnestly 
with Dan, who had changed his mind about going 
with the “foraging party,” on account of a bruised 
heel, caused by a shoe that chafed him, 

Dick shook his head as though he rather de- 
spaired of weaning the nephew of the town 
librarian from his stilted and unpleasant ways. 

“He’s been well drilled at his home, sir, I’m 
afraid,” he went on to say, “by that uncle of his 
who knows about as much about real boys as he 
does of Egyptian mummies, and perhaps a good 
deal less. I’ve talked with him a number of times, 
but everything he says is just an echo of what Mr. 
Loft has been telling us right along.” 

“Then you don’t really believe these lofty ideas 
are his own, but acquired from association with 
Dlder people?” asked the minister, looking amused, 
for he personally had no sympathy with the prin- 
ciples of the pedantic librarian. 

123 


124 THE Y. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Why, Mr. Holwell, it’s impossible for a boy 
to think as he claims to do, unless he was brought 
up among a lot of stuffy people who filled him with 
their ideas. A boy to be natural is just bound 
to want to read stories that are full of action. We 
all think that the writer who can give us healthy 
adventure, and perhaps put some good, strong 
traits into his characters, is doing us all the good 
we’ll stand for.” 

“My opinion exactly,” said the minister, heart- 

iiy- 

“Still,” went on Dick, “Humbert has waked 
up some and is taking to the water and to swim- 
ming like a fish; so, you see, there may be hope 
for him in other things as well.” 

“Let us hope so,” the minister said with a smile. 

“I hope you have told Mr. Loft how we boys 
feel about our reading, sir,” ventured Dick, boldly. 

“Oh! many times when we have been warmly 
discussing these same matters,” came the reply. 
“But it seems as useless as water dropping on a 
stone. In the course of ages it may wear the stone 
away, but neither of us is likely to live to see the 
day. Mr. Loft is very bigoted, and has a false 
idea concerning boys and what they ought to 
read.” 

“Still, he seems to be more civil to us nowa- 
days,” observed Dick, with a gleam of amusement 
in his eye as he spoke. 


DAN TELLS SOME TRUTHS 


125 


“H’ml for a very good reason,” laughed Mr. 
Holwell. “Since you and your comrades started 
the Boys’ Library, with a select list of books, all 
approved by myself, Mr. Henry Fenwick, and 
several other gentlemen who love boys, Mr. Loft 
has been reading the handwriting on the wall. He 
begins to fear that if he keeps on thrusting his 
classical ideas of boys’ literature upon the patrons 
of the town library he may lose his job. So he 
believes it good policy to quiet down.” 

“Let’s wander over a little closer to where Dan 
and Humbert are sitting, sir,” suggested Dick. 
“I’d just like to hear what they are saying, because 
from the way Dan is laying the law down I expect 
it’s about books and Mr. Loft’s ideas for boys. 
Dan, you know, is head and heels interested in 
that library of ours; and he fairly despises Mr. 
Loft. I’ve heard him call him a ‘human icicle’ 
many a time.” 

“Just as you say, Dick,” consented Mr. Hol- 
well, smiling at the apt designation given by Dan, 
for, regardless of the librarian’s intellectual gifts, 
it seemed to fit him. 

When the two sauntered near the place where 
the boys were talking, Dan was getting up as 
though to leave. He did not notice the presence 
of Mr. Holwell, but was shaking his forefinger 
in Humbert’s face. That individual looked wor- 
ried, as though he felt the crushing force of the 


126 THE r. ilf. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


arguments Dan had been heaping up before him. 

“I tell you, Humbert Loft,” they heard Dan 
say with emphasis, “boys can’t be treated as if 
they were machines. Boys have feelings, and 
they know what kind of reading they want every 
time. Their books have got to have a certain 
amount of good, lively, healthy adventure in ’em, 
or else nobody’s going to bother spending his time 
over ’em.” 

“But my uncle says ” began Humbert 

feebly, when Dan interrupted him. 

“Oh I what does your uncle know about boys, 
tell me? I guess when he was a baby they must 
have fed him on Latin verbs and Greek nouns. 
All he thinks of is stuffing us boys with ‘standard 
literature,’ as he calls it, when we’re just shouting 
for things that appeal to our boy natures.” 

“But what he wants boys to read are the books 
that all cultivated people consider the finest fruits 
of human endeavor I” urged Humbert, desper- 
ately. 

“Who says they ain’t?” demanded Dan, with a 
reckless disregard for all rules of grammar that 
must have chilled the other boy’s heart. “But 
they never were meant for boys’ consumption. 
When we get older we’ll gradually drop reading 
boys’ stories, and some of us may take up the 
classics, while others will get out in the busy world 
and go to work.” 


DAN TELLS SOME TRUTHS 


127 


“I don’t know — I’m only telling you what my 
uncle thinks about it,” pleaded Humbert, weakly. 

“Stop and think for a minute, will you?” con- 
tinued Dan, still waving that threatening fore- 
finger back and forth. “If every boy in Cliffwood 
were built on the same model as you, Humbert 
Loft, what a terrible desolation there would be in 
that poor town. Why, with not a single boy play- 
ing ball, or giving a shout when he felt real good, 
the people would think the end of the world had 
come. Isn’t that so, Humbert?” 

Humbert smiled in a sickly fashion. 

“Why, I guess it would seem pretty queer,” he 
admitted, slowly. 

“And another thing, Humbert,” finished Dan 
as a clincher, “since you’ve been up here with us 
I’ve noticed that you begin to show some interest 
in our doings. I really believe you’re beginning 
to find your real self, and that when we go back to 
Cliffwood you’ll be a different sort of fellow. 
Think it over, won’t you, and just join in with the 
rest of us in our fun? Forget your uncle, and 
remember that you’re a living, breathing boy, not 
a mummified classic.” 

With that Dan tore away to do something he 
had in mind. Mr. Holwell touched Dick on the 
arm, and the two of them retreated without Hum- 
bert’s being aware that his heart-to-heart talk with 
Dan had been overheard. 


128 THE Y, M,C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“See him shaking his head, and then smiling, 
sir,” said Dick, with considerable interest. “I 
really do believe those sledge-hammer blows Dan 
gave him have made an impression on Humbert. 
Given a week or ten days up here, and he may 
throw off the heavy load he’s been carrying so 
long, and act like a regular boy for once.” 

“We’ll hope so, Dick,” returned Mr. Holwell. 
“But while Humbert is growing less pedantic and 
dropping some of his foolish pose, I trust the rest 
of you will pick up a genuine love of books. The 
love of good books is always a joy and sometimes 
a solace when other things fail one.” 

The morning passed away, and those in the 
camp found many things to do under the super- 
vision of Mr. Bartlett and the athletic instructor. 

It must have been all of half-past eleven when 
Dick heard the sound of hasty footsteps in the 
woods near by. Then several figures burst into 
sight, hurrying toward the camp, and making ex- 
travagant gestures as they stumbled along. At 
the same time they cast frightened looks over 
their shoulders, and Dick heard Nat Silmore cry: 

“This here island’s no place for our camp, fel- 
lers. There’s a terrible wild man loose on the 
same, and he roared at us something fierce. We’d 
better get away from here while the going’s good, 
I tell you ! Wow ! I’m nearly all in.” 


CHAPTER XVI 


WAS IT A WILD MAN OF THE WOODS? 

“What^S all this you are telling us, Nat?” 
asked Mr. Bartlett, with a show of interest, while 
the boys of the camp crowded around the trio of 
newcomers, and Mr. Holwell and Mr. Rowland 
stood listening not far to one side. 

Dit and Alonzo seemed pretty well exhausted. 
They sank down on a log, panting as if they could 
hardly catch their breath. Despite the color in 
their flushed faces they looked alarmed, as well 
as sheepish on account of having given way to 
their fears. 

“Why, we certain sure did see something^ Mr. 
Bartlett !” urged Nat, with emphasis. “The woods 
happened to be kind o’ gloomy right there, so we 
couldn’t be dead sure what it was, but he made a 
horrible drumming sound, and waved his arms 
above his head. Ugh! did we run? Well, to say 
we tore along’d be hitting it closer.” 

“And I reckon the wild man chased after us 
for a little, too,” Dit Hennesy managed to say 
between his gasps. “Leastwise I could hear some- 
129 


130 THE F. M. C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


thing cornin’ back of us, and it made me smash into 
a tree, I was that worried.” 

He put a hand up to his forehead, where they 
could see that a lump had made its appearance. 
This at least was evidence that the boys were not 
trying to play one of Nat’s customary practical 
jokes. Bumps like that have a way of telling a 
story of their own. Bumps seldom lie. 

“What makes you think it was a wild man?” 
asked Harry Bartlett, trying to get all the infor- 
mation possible from the boys. 

“Oh I well,” replied Nat, slowly, “he just 
seemed to act wild, I reckon. When we glimpsed 
him he was squatting down, and as soon as Dit 
here let out a whoop he commenced growling at 
us something fierce.” 

“Yes, sir,” said Alonzo, thinking he ought to 
add the weight of his testimony to that given by 
his two companions, “it was a wild man as sure 
as anything. And right away, sir, there were 
three wild boys tearing through the woods like 
fun. As luck would have it we came in the right 
direction, and didn’t get lost. Whew I I’d hate to 
spend a night alone on this island with that thing 
roaming around loose I” 

The camp director and Mr. Holwell walked 
aside, Dick going with them. 

“What do you think about it, Mr. Holwell?” 
asked the boy. 


WAS IT A WILD MAN OF THE WOODS? 131 


“They evidently did see something that fright- 
ened them,” admitted the gentleman. “But 
whether it was an animal or a crazy human being 
remains to be found out later. When boys are 
suddenly thrown into a bad scare they can easily 
mistake a hog, or even a harmless calf, for a 
monster.” 

“But if there is some sort of strange creature 
loose on Bass Island,” pursued Dick, eagerly, 
“mightn’t that explain the thefts that have been 
taking place?” 

“True enough, Dick,” answered Harry Bart- 
lett, “and for one I earnestly hope that may turn 
out to be the case. It gives me a heartache to think 
of suspecting any boy among us of being a thief.” 

Several other boys joined them just then. They 
were all trying to figure out how much dependence 
could be placed on the story told by Nat and his 
cronies. In times past they had cried “wolf” so 
often that now no one felt like believing them, 
though, in fact, there might be real cause for 
alarm. 

“Huh !” said Dan, skeptically, “like as not they 
were looking to see what the chances were to leave 
the island when they could hook one of the boats, 
and then got scared at their own shadows. It’s 
nearly always the way with bullies like Nat.” 

“But why should they want to desert us, Dan?” 
asked Mr. Holwell. 


132 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


The other shrugged his shoulders in a way that 
stood for a great deal. 

“Ohl well, sir,” he went on to say, “I don’t 
want to accuse any one, you understand, and right 
now I’m not hinting that Nat had a hand in those 
thefts; but you see they think we suspect them, 
and that makes it disagreeable here for them.” 

“To tell the truth,” said Elmer Jones, “I never 
thought they’d tag along with us up here, in a 
regularly organized Y. M. C. A. camp, because 
they’re always in fear of being lectured on account 
of their ways. But they came, and now they feel 
uneasy when this queer mystery is afoot.” 

“We mustn’t make them feel that they are sus- 
pected,” said the minister. “So far they seem 
to have behaved themselves fairly well, and I have 
been allowing myself to hope that by degrees those 
boys may see that it pays to be decent. I would 
like to show them that there’s more genuine fun 
to be gotten out of the clean method of living than 
in the way they’ve usually carried on. Besides, 
we mustn’t forget that none of those boys has 
the best of home influences back of him.” 

“There comes the boat with the bass fisher- 
men I” called Dan just then, as a shout was heard 
from the water. 

“They act as if they had met with at least fair 
success,” said Mr. Holwell, who could read boys 
like the printed page of a book, though for all 


WAS IT A WILD MAN OF THE WOODS? 133 


that he confessed that he found something new 
every day to study in their make-up. 

“And unless my eyes are deceiving me,” re- 
marked Harry Bartlett, “there’s the other boat 
pushing out from the shore across the lake.” 

“Just what it is,” added Clint Babbett, who 
possessed keen vision. “And say! let me tell you 
they’ve got a load of stuff along with them. Must 
have about cleaned that farmer out of eatables.” 

There was more or less excitement as the boats 
came in, one after the other. The fishermen had 
succeeded beyond their most ardent expectations, 
and showed a splendid catch of bass, several of 
which exceeded in weight the largest taken on the 
preceding day. 

When those from the second boat landed they 
proudly exhibited the results of their visit to the 
farm. There was butter, beautiful golden in color, 
and many dozens of eggs, some of them from 
ducks, though it was pretty late in the summer for 
these fowls to be laying, Mr. Holwell observed. 

“And here’s six of the finest spring chickens you 
ever saw,” said Phil Harkness, one of the for- 
agers, exultantly. “They had just fixed them for 
market, and were only too glad to sell them to 
us.” 

“The farmer’s wife treated us to all the butter- 
milk we could swallow,” observed Fred Bonni- 
castle, another of the returned pilgrims. “She said 


134 THE F. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


we could have gallons of it if only we had some 
way of carrying it back with us, which we didn’t — 
only in us.” 

Lunch was prepared with the customary breezy 
accessories in the way of directions called back 
and forth. Mr. Holwell seemed just the same as 
usual. If he felt his late loss keenly he knew how 
to hide his feelings, so that he might not cause the 
spirits of his boys to droop. 

One lad, however, said nothing. This was Asa 
Gardner. Dick could not help noticing that the 
boy heaved a deep sigh every little while, when 
he thought no one was noticing him. 

“He certainly looks unhappy,” Dick told him- 
self, as once more suspicions began to force them- 
selves into his mind, though he hurriedly put them 
aside, remembering the promise he had made to 
Mr. Holwell to believe in Asa and help him all 
he possibly could. 

The three berry pickers had returned with 
full buckets. They reported the supply of berries 
as literally inexhaustible. Still it could be seen 
that they were beginning to wonder where the fun 
of their outing was to come in if they had to spend 
most of their time in doing this sort of work. 

“On Monday,” Dick told Mr. Holwell and 
Mr. Bartlett, “I’ll give some of the fellows a tip, 
and see if many hands won’t make light work. 
We’d all like to pick berries for a while, I expect, 


WAS IT A WILD MAN OF THE WOODS? 135 


and every quart will count so much to their score. 
And I’ve an idea Mr. Nocker means to see that 
they get a price for those berries that no one ever 
had before.” 

“That’s the right spirit to show,” Mr. Holwell 
remarked as he placed a hand affectionately on 
Dick’s shoulder. 

It happened that a little while after lunch Dick 
wandered down to the landing to take a look at 
one of the boats which had been reported as leak- 
ing again. He believed he knew of a way in 
which it could be mended so as to stay dry and 
serviceable. 

He turned the boat upside-down; and, while 
stooping over examining the bottom of the flat 
craft, he heard some one coming. Turning his 
head he saw it was Asa Gardner. Like a flash it 
struck Dick that the other wanted to say some- 
thing to him in secret, and was taking this chance 
when no one else was near. 

A chill gripped Dick’s heart. He seemed to 
feel that something dreadful was coming, though 
he could not guess its nature as yet. 

Asa drew alongside. 

“Dick,” he said, and the other boy noticed how 
his voice trembled. 

' “Yes, what is it, Asa?” 

“I’ve been waiting to catch you alone, because 
I’ve got something to say to you that I wouldn’t 


136 THE F. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


like anybody else to hear, especially Mr. Holwell.” 

Dick felt the chilly sensation again; but he 
looked up smilingly. 

“All right, Asa,” he said, cheerily, “here’s your 
chance to tell me what’s bothering you. If I can 
do anything to make you feel easier just make up 
your mind I want to help you. Now, what’s gone 
wrong?” 

Asa’s eyes were growing wet, and evidently he 
labored under great emotion. 

“It’s just this, Dick,” he said, weakly, “I never 
should have dared come along with a bunch of 
decent fellows like your crowd. I ought to have 
known I just couldn’t keep from falling back into 
my old ways, that have got such a terrible grip on 
me. And Dick, there’s only one thing to be done 
— send me home right away 1” 


CHAPTER XVII 


dick’s promise 

Dick could hardly believe his own ears when 
he heard Asa make this terrible confession. He 
gripped the other boy by the shoulder almost 
fiercely. 

“Look here, Asa Gardner, do you mean to tell 
me that it was you who took those things in the 
night — Dan’s watch, the aluminum frying-pan, 
and last of all the gold watch which your best 
friend Mr. Holwell thinks so much of?” 

Asa groaned, and drooped pitifully in his grasp. 

“I don’t know for sure, Dick, but I’m awfully 
afraid I did,” he said, huskily. 

“That’s a queer way to put it,” Dick told him, 
sternly. “Anybody ought to know if he were 
guilty of doing such a mean thing as that. You’ll 
have to explain yourself, Asa. Do you remember 
taking those things?” 

“No, no, that’s the strangest part of it, you see, 
Dick,” pleaded the boy. “But they disappeared, 
and I was in the camp both nights.” 

Dick began to breathe a little easier. 

137 


138 THE r. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“But that isn’t any proof at all, Asa, that I can 
see,” he hurriedly remarked. “How could you 
take them, and not know it, tell me?” 

“I wish I could, Dick, but then nobody else here 
would be low enough to steal except me, and so 
I’ve figured it out that I must have done it in my 
sleep, just because the old habit was so strong. 
While I was awake I could fight it off, but you see 
once I lost my senses my grip was broken, and I 
must have done it. Oh, I must 1” 

“Well, that’s a funny thing to tell me, I mtist 
say,” Dick replied. “You haven’t the least remem- 
brance of doing it, yet you’re ready to take all 
the blame on your shoulders because once on a time 
you had a weakness that way. Brace up, Asa ; you 
never took Mr. Holwell’s watch, I tell you.” 

It was wonderful to see how new hope seemed 
to come immediately into the heart of the erring 
boy. The look of misery began to die out of his 
face, and through the tears gathering in his eyes 
Dick could see a new sparkle — that of hope. 

“Oh I it’s kind of you to say that to me, Dick I” 
he exclaimed between his sobs, for he was com- 
pletely aroused and could not control himself, 
though he tried hard to do so. “Tell me who did 
take the watch, then, that Mr. Holwell, the finest 
man on this whole earth, thought so much of?” 

Dick laughed breezily, more to cheer the poor 
fellow up than because he considered it a joke. 


DICrS PROMISE 


139 


“I wish I could tell you, Asa,” he said, quickly. 
“But so far it’s a mystery that has yet to be solved. 
But I’m dead sure you hadn’t a thing to do with 
the robbery, if that’s what you mean.” 

“There was one favor I meant to ask you, Dick, 
if you thought I hadn’t better leave the camp,” 
continued Asa, presently, when he could master 
his emotion. 

“All right, let’s hear it,” he was told encourag- 
ingly. 

“To-night, and every night after this I want you 
to let me sleep next to you in your tent. Yes, and 
Dick, if only you’d fix it with a cord of some kind 
so that I couldn’t move about without your know- 
ing it I’d feel easier. Then if another robbery 
was committed I’d begin to understand that I 
couldn’t be doing these terrible things in my 
sleep.” 

“I’ll think it over, Asa,” the other told him. 
“Though I’m sure nothing like that is going to 
be needed to prove your innocence. Besides, since 
we’ve heard of Nat and the other fellows meet- 
ing with some sort of strange man in the woods, 
Mr. Holwell, Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Rowland be- 
gin to believe the secret of the robberies will be 
solved when we run across the wild man.” 

Asa winked hard to clear his eyes from the 
tears. 

“You’ve made me feel a whole lot easier, I tell 


140 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


you, Dick,” he said, and he persisted in squeezing 
the other’s unwilling hand with boyish fervor. “I 
hope and pray that it may come out that way. 
I’m trying as hard as I can to keep my promise to 
my mother, and she knows that it would nearly 
kill me if I found that I was going back to those 
old ways in my sleep.” 

“Cheer up, Asa, and don’t let any of the other 
fellows see you looking as if you had lost your 
last friend. Mr. Holwell believes in you, and so 
does Harry Bartlett, and so do I. You’re going 
to be all right and as good as the next one. Sure ! 
you can sleep alongside of me if you feel like it. 
But about that cord you mentioned, I hardly think 
it’ll be necessary.” 

Asa wandered off until such time as he could 
recover from his emotion and Dick continued his 
examination of the boat’s bottom. After all, he 
was glad the other had spoken as he had, because 
somehow it seemed to clear the air. 

“And,” he told himself, humorously, “I’m be- 
ginning to get a hunch that before a great while 
we’ll find some way of explaining this mystery. 
If that was a wild man Nat and the others saw, 
surely he must be a lunatic who’s escaped from 
some asylum. We may be the means of capturing 
him, and restoring him to his quarters. He’ll be 
frozen to death if he has to stay on Bass Island 
all winter.” 


Biers PROMISE 


141 


The idea pleased Dick exceedingly, and when 
he once more joined the others by the fire some 
of the boys wondered what could have happened 
to make him appear so cheerful again. 

He took the first favorable opportunity that 
arose to get Mr. Holwell aside. Asa had not yet 
returned to the camp, though they could see him 
sitting on the end of a fallen tree that jutted out 
over the water, possibly a hundred yards further 
along the shore of the island. 

“I had a pretty bad scare a short time ago, sir,” 
was what Dick started to say, which caused the 
gentleman to start, and look at him strangely. 

“Have you been seeing things too, Dick?” he 
asked. “Would the wild man become so bold as 
to approach our camp in broad daylight?” 

“No, but I’ve been hearing things that gave me 
a bad turn at first, though it came around all right 
pretty soon,” and with that Dick repeated what 
Asa had said to him near the boat landing when 
they were alone. 

Mr. Holwell was of course stunned at first, but 
as Dick went on with his story his eyes grew moist, 
and he shook his head as though he felt exceed- 
ingly sorry for the boy whose past haunted him so 
persistently. 

“Poor Asa,” he said, later on, when he had 
heard all, “it must be terrible to feel as he does, 
and be compelled to fight so desperately to keep 


142 THE F. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


from doing things that other boys have no fear 
they will be tempted to do. I give him all credit 
for his gallant fight, and if he wins, as I firmly 
believe will be the case, I shall be proud of him. 
You must continue to help him in every way you 
can, my boy.” 

“I certainly will, sir,” declared Dick, with a 
strong remembrance of the moist eyes Asa had 
turned on him when he made that humiliating con- 
fession that after all had proved to be only a 
dreadful suspicion, and not a reality. 

That was a busy afternoon, all things consid- 
ered. Some of those who had been out fishing in 
the morning decided they had had enough angling 
for one day. Besides, they knew very well that oth- 
ers were desirous of testing their skill against the 
game qualities of the black bass of Lake Russa- 
baga. 

So it came about that Dick Horner had a chance 
to be a member of the quartette that left camp 
with dark designs against the finny inhabitants of 
the inland sea. They carried a goodly number of 
live bait in a pail constructed for that purpose, 
and also some artificial minnows, as well as troll- 
ing spoons to fall back on in case the other su{>- 
plies were exhausted. 

Mr. Holwell had entered into the work with 
almost as much enthusiasm as any of the boys. 

“To-morrow being Sunday,” he explained as he 


DICrS PROMISE 


143 


worked, “we will do just as little manual labor as 
possible. My flock in town will have a supply in 
the pulpit, for they have given me a little holiday. 
And if you boys care to hear it I expect to give you 
a sermon I wrote for some lads of my acquaint- 
ance many years ago, though it touches on truths 
that are just as pertinent to-day as when it was 
first delivered.” 

Dan had not gone off with any of the others, 
but at the same time he failed to mingle with those 
in the camp. They could hear him pottering away 
close by, now hammering, and again coming back 
for bits of stout twine or rope. Nobody but Mr. 
Bartlett knew what Dan was about. 

All this naturally aroused something akin to 
curiosity among the boys, and as the afternoon 
wore on many guesses were indulged in as to 
what Dan Fenwick could be doing. Finally, one 
of his companions, more daring than the rest, 
sauntered over his way to ask him pointblank 
what it was he kept working on so industriously. 
Andy Hale, for it was he who had approached 
Dan, presently came hurrying back, with a half 
grin on his face, at the same time laboring under 
partly repressed excitement. 

“Hey I would you believe it?” he announced 
as he arrived near the fire. “Dan up and told me 
he was building a cage to trap that wild man Nat 
saw in the woods.” 


CHAPTER XVIII 


SETTING THE TRAP 

Of course when Andy made this surprising re- 
port the rest of the boys were of a mind to rush 
over in a body to joke Dan, and perhaps make fun 
of his labors. Mr. Holwell, however, dissuaded 
them. 

“Better leave Dan to finish his trap, boys,” he 
told them. “He’s a busy fellow these days it 
seems, and deserves success if anybody does. If 
he needs any help you’ll hear him call for it. In 
the meanwhile don’t thrust yourselves where evi- 
dently you’re not wanted.” 

Accordingly, all dropped back into their com- 
fortable seats, and took it out in speculating as 
to what the worker could have in mind when his 
ambition led him to want to trap a real wild man 
of the woods. 

Dan did not show up in time to take part in 
the customary preparations for dinner. There 
were plenty of recruits, however, for with hunger 
urging them on the campers showed an eagerness 
to hasten the getting of the evening meal. Sunny 
144 


SETTING THE TRAP 


146 


Jim grinned more broadly than ever when he 
found his tasks so cheerfully lightened. 

They managed to hold themselves in check until 
Mr. Holwell had asked the customary blessing. 
Somehow this influence for good was felt even by 
those lads who had never known such a custom 
in their own homes. It seemed especially well 
suited to the leafy canopy overhead, the gurgling 
waters lapping the shore near by, and the sense of 
freedom around that brought them closer to na- 
ture and to God. 

Dan made his appearance about the time they 
were half through, and the twilight shadows were 
stealing timidly out of the recesses of the mys- 
terious woods. 

Many curious looks were cast in his direction, 
but somewhat to his surprise no one ventured to 
joke him about his ambitious labors. Dan him- 
self, when the edge had been taken from his 
appetite, introduced the topic voluntarily. 

“Course you fellows are wondering what Fm 
up to,” he said, with a grin. “Well, I got a little 
idea into my cranium, and have been working the 
same out, with the aid of a hatchet, a hammer 
and some nails. In fact, Fve set a trap hoping to 
coax the escaped lunatic to go in, after which it’ll 
drop and hold him for us.” 

“But what will you bait it with, Dan?’” 
demanded Peg, with seeming innocence, “because 


146 THE F. M, C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


you know my aluminum frying-pan is gone, and 
we haven’t got another shiny watch in the camp 
nowadays.” 

“Oh! that’s easy,” said Dan, carelessly. “I 
reckon now that even a crazy man is liable to get 
hungry right along. I’m going to bait the trap 
with some sort of food that I think ought to draw 
him on. Just wait and see, that’s all.” 

The evening passed in the usual occupations. 
Some of the boys busied themselves in one way 
and some in another. Some had writing to do; 
some worked with pictures they had taken during 
the day, and which were to be developed at night 
time. 

Already the keen spirit of rivalry had taken 
complete possession of the campers. The prizes 
that had been offered to those coming in with the 
best flashlight photograph, the cleanest score in 
nature study, the highest marks in knowledge of 
woodcraft, and numerous other courses laid out 
by Mr. Rowland, may have had something to do 
with their perseverance. 

There was more, however, than this desire for 
gain urging the boys on. Most of them really 
yearned to improve themselves along certain lines, 
and to be adjudged first in their class would be 
considered proof that they had met with success. 

So there was hardly a boy in the camp aside 
from Nat and his two sombre cronies, Dit Hen- 


SETTING THE TRAP 


147 


nesy and Alonzo Crane, but found himself enter- 
ing into the spirited rivalry that would act as a 
spur to achievement. 

When finally “taps” was sounded on Mr. Bart- 
lett’s cornet, Asa was given a place next to Dick, 
Andy Hale being transferred to another tent, 
though no one thought to ask why this was done. 
If the boys talked it over at all they must have 
reached the conclusion that Asa was growing ner- 
vous about sleeping in a tent further removed from 
the fire at a time when there was a creature of 
an unknown species prowling about on Bass Island. 

By degrees the camp fell into an utter silence, 
though occasionally some one, who may have been 
lying on his back, would begin to breathe louder 
than his mates liked, whereupon he was punched 
in the ribs, and made to roll over. 

It must have been well on toward midnight 
when the sleepers were suddenly aroused by a tre- 
mendous crash not far away; and immediately an 
exodus from the several shelters began. Boys, 
clad in various patterns of pajamas, all looking a 
bit frightened, gathered about in groups. 


CHAPTER XIX 


A DAY OF REST 

“It's a terrible storm coming, like as not!” 
Elmer Jones was exclaiming, as he started to un- 
wrap a rainproof coat he had been thoughtful 
enough to provide for such occasions. 

“Sounded more like a house falling down to 
me 1” called Clint Babbett. 

“I was dreaming of two railroad trains com- 
ing together, just when that smash came,” an- 
nounced Leslie Capes. 

“And I was heading straight for the falls of 
Niagara, and could hear the water roaring like 
everything,” confessed Nat Silmore. 

Dan had not said a word up to then, and Dick, 
glancing toward him, could see a proud look be- 
ginning to take possession of the other’s face. 

“You’re all wrong, fellows!” exclaimed Dan, 
unable to hold in any longer. “You’ve got an- 
other guess coming, I tell you. Don’t you remem- 
ber that it was over there that I set my trap? 
Well, she worked all right, and mebbe I’ve got 
our wild man safely caged at this very minute!” 

148 


A DAY OF REST 


149 


The announcement created great excitement. 

“Hey! let’s hurry and get some duds on, so 
we can go and see 1” called Peg, who was hopping 
about on one foot, as he had stubbed a toe in the 
haste with which he rushed forth from his sleep- 
ing quarters. 

“How about that, Mr. Bartlett?” asked Dick, 
seeing the camp director among them, he having 
hurriedly slipped on a bath robe before making 
his appearance. 

“We ought to get there with as little waste of 
time as possible,” replied Harry Bartlett, looking 
interested. “If it should turn out that the trap has 
done what Dan intended, the poor fellow may be 
hurt in some way, and it would be cruel for us to 
wait until morning to investigate.” 

“Whew I from the racket I should say something 
fierce had happened!” declared Phil Harkness, 
as he hastened back to where his clothes hung sus- 
pended from nails driven into the pole of sleeping 
tent Number Three. 

There was some hurried work done about that 
time, as every lad wanted to get himself in readi- 
ness as quickly as possible. Many hands quivered 
with excitement, and buttons were much more 
difficult to fasten than ordinarily. 

One by one the boys assembled by the resur- 
rected fire, some still hurriedly fastening their gar- 
ments. It was an excited group that collected 


160 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


around Mr. Holwell, Mr. Bartlett, the physical 
director and Dick, as camp leaders. 

“Hadn’t we better take something along with 
us, to defend ourselves in case he turns out to be 
ugly?” asked Dick. 

“Yes, I suppose that would be only a wise pro- 
vision,” returned Mr. Holwell, “for one never 
knows what a crazy person may do. They are 
also possessed of enormous strength as a usual 
thing. Get any sort of club you can find, boys.” 

There was an immediate hustling around on the 
part of the half-dressed campers. Some managed 
to find suitable cudgels. Others picked up any- 
thing they could see that promised to prove useful 
in an emergency. Peg appropriated the camp 
hatchet. Ban Jansen the axe, while Andy Hale, in 
lieu of anything better, armed himself with the 
stout iron rod which they used across the fire 
when hanging a pot over the blaze. 

Mr. Rowland had lighted the lantern. Others 
found blazing brands from the fire, which they 
made into serviceable torches by whirling them 
swiftly around their heads. 

“Now come along,” said the camp director, 
smiling as he glanced around and noted the unique 
character of the procession ready to trail after 
him. 

“I’d give a dollar, sure I would, to have a snap- 
shot of this bunch right now,” declared Clint 


A BAY OF REST 


161 


Babbett, who was becoming quite an expert pho- 
tographer, and aspired to win a prize by taking 
flashlight pictures at night time of little wild ani- 
mals in their native haunts. 

Indeed, they certainly did look comical as they 
passed from the camp and headed toward the spot 
where Dan had set his great trap. He bravely 
acted as pilot of the expedition, since none but 
he knew just where they were going. 

Presently, from his cautious actions, the rest 
understood that they were very close to their 
destination. 

“Can you glimpse the trap yet, Dan?“ asked 
Peg, eagerly, lowering his voice as if afraid lest 
he start the prisoner into making new and des- 
perate efforts to escape from the toils. 

“And is he inside?” inquired Fred Bonnicastle, 
with a gasp that told of his interest. 

“I can just begin to see the thing,” announced 
Dan, slowly, and Dick thought he could detect the 
first shade of growing disappointment in the oth- 
er’s voice. 

A few more steps, and then Dan spoke again. 

“Hey! what does this mean?” he grumbled. 

“Didn’t the trap work after all, Dan?” asked 
Peg, in a grieved tone. 

“Work!” snorted Dan, huskily. “I should say 
it did. Only the maniac was too much for me after 
all. He’s gone and busted my trap to flinders.” 


152 THE Y. M. C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Groans of disappointment welled up from 
numerous throats, and there was a quickening of 
footsteps as all drew closer to the spot where the 
wreck of the clumsy contrivance lay scattered 
around. 

They stood and stared at the ruin. Dan shook 
his head, and drew in his breath with a faint 
whistle that expressed intense astonishment. 

“Say, he must have been a buster of a man I’’ 
he finally exclaimed, bending down to examine 
some stout limbs that had been actually broken 
in two as though by a mighty force. “He just got 
as mad as hops when it dropped around him, and 
smashed things right and left. But, fellows, he 
carried off the bait all right, I notice.” 

“That shows he has an appetite after all,” re- 
marked Mr. Holwell, considerably amused at the 
happening, though at the same time feeling that 
the situation bordered on a grave one, with such 
a terrible denizen of the woods visiting their camp 
so frequently. 

“After this he’ll be feeling kind of peeved at us 
for hurting him, I guess,” ventured Peg. 

“Well, if it comes to the worst,” Phil remarked, 
“we can some of us sit up each night, and stand 
our turn on guard.” 

“That sounds pleasant, I must say,” observed 
Elmer, with a half laugh. 

The party once more returned to camp, and Mr. 


A DAY OF REST 


153 


Bartlett told them not to sit around talking mat- 
ers over, but to get back to their blankets. 
Indeed, the night air felt rather chilly, and the 
boys were not loath to take this advice. 

“Plenty of time to talk it all over in the morn- 
ing,” the camp director told them. “Perhaps by 
that time we may run across some sort of clue that 
will put us on the track of the poor fellow. It 
strikes me we ought to do our best to make him a 
prisoner while up here. If, as we suspect, he turns 
out to be a lunatic, it would be little short of a 
crime to leave him here to freeze in the winter 
time.” 

One thing Dick noticed, and this was that while 
most of the boys thought the visit from the wild 
man almost a tragedy one of their number seemed 
to be particularly pleased over it. 

This was Asa Gardner, who, from the time 
they first gathered after the alarm was given, had 
been smiling contentedly. Dick could give a pretty 
good guess why. 

“Asa knows now,” Dick told himself, “that it 
couldn’t have been his fault those things disap- 
peared from our camp. He was lying beside me 
sound asleep when the alarm came. So he figures 
that after all it must have been this strange being 
who crept into our camp and stole the bright things 
that caught his attention. Well, Pm* glad for 
Asa’s sake, that’s all.” 


154 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Some of the boys were nervous as they lay 
down. They half anticipated a further visit from 
the unknown. The remainder of the night passed, 
however, without further annoyance. 

Sunday morning found the boys up early, and 
taking their cold plunge. Mr. Holwell joined 
them, for from boyhood days a dip in the water 
on a fine summer morning had always been a de- 
licious treat for the minister. The usual morn- 
ing exercises were dispensed with, for Sunday is 
always conducted on strictly religious lines in every 
genuine Y. M. C. A. camp. 

After breakfast had been eaten and everything 
cleaned up about the camp, the campers assembled 
to enjoy a little song service, after which Mr. 
Holwell had promised to deliver his famous “boys’ 
sermon.” 

Asa Gardner sought out Dick. Plainly the 
sensitive boy was feeling much better than when 
he had had his last interview with his friend, Dick, 
a fact the latter was pleased to note. 

“You’re coming around to my way of thinking, 
I guess, Asa?” he remarked. 

Asa turned his eyes up toward Dick. 

“Yes,” he said, softly, “I believe it’s going to 
come out all right now, Dick, for my dear mother 
came to me in my dreams last night, and she told 
me I would win the fight! Oh! I’m so glad, so 
glad, and I owe a heap to you, that’s right !” 


CHAPTER XX 


A MISSION OF MERCY 

To SOME of the boys the day seemed unusually 
long. Their restless spirits chaffed under the strain 
of doing nothing save looking after the fire, lying 
around talking, roaming through the woods at 
that end of the island, reading, and at noon eating 
the meal that had been prepared. 

Possibly except for the restraining influence of 
Mr. Holwell and Mr. Bartlett and the knowledge 
that they would forfeit certain privileges if they 
broke the posted rules of the camp, Eddie Grant 
and the two other mill boys, perhaps Nat Silmore 
and his chums also, might have gone off in one of 
the boats to fish. 

But to Dick and some of the others that was a 
day long to be remembered. Mr. Holwell talked 
more about his early struggles and difficulties than 
they had ever heard him do before. They learned 
that he had had a most adventurous career up to 
the time he decided to follow the ministry for a 
calling. 

It was about three in the afternoon, and some 
155 


156 THE F. ilf. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


of the boys were sighing over the fact that the 
day still had several more hours to run, when 
there came a sudden interruption of the Sunday 
quiet that enveloped the camp. 

“Listen!” exclaimed Dan Fenwick, jumping up. 
“Some one’s coming through the brush back yon- 
der. Lickety-split, too 1” 

All could hear the noise made by the hurried 
passage of some body; and more than one boyish 
face lost much of its usual color as the lads ex- 
changed uneasy glances. 

“What if it’s the wild man?” ventured Andy 
Hale, thus voicing the alarm that had begun to 
hammer at every heart. 

“Wow! get your clubs, everybody, and stand 
ready to repel boarders !” snapped Peg, immedi- 
ately pouncing on the handy camp hatchet. 

“Hold on, fellows,” Dick called out. “It’s a 
man, you can see, and he looks to me as though 
he might be more frightened than we are. See, 
he’s waving his hands.” 

“Why, seems as if I ought to know that man !” 
exclaimed Fred Bonnicastle just then. “Yes, sure 
as you live, it’s the farmer we got the butter and 
eggs from.” 

“Say, I bet you he’s run across the monster that 
gave us the scare the other day!” ventured Nat 
Silmore. “Now, mebbe you’ll believe what we 
told you.” 


A MISSION OF MERCY 


167 


The farmer soon reached the camp. He was 
breathing hard, but tried, as best he could, to talk. 
It was to Mr. Holwell he addressed himself, for 
he saw that the minister was older than any of the 
rest and looked as though he might be in charge. 

“I thought you were camping on the other site,” 
he stammered; “so I landed at the wrong place. 
Oh 1 I want somebody to go back with me and try 
to stop the bleeding, or I’m afraid the poor lad 
will not last long, and I never could get to town, 
for my horse is sick.” 

“What does this mean, my friend?” asked Mr. 
Holwell, laying a kindly hand on the agitated 
farmer’s arm, to calm him, for he was very much 
excited. 

“My little boy managed to cut his foot fright- 
fully with the axe,” explained the man, drawing 
a deep breath; “and I’m a poor hand at anything 
like binding up a bleeding artery. My wife has 
done the best she knew how, but in spite of the 
rags she tied around his leg it keeps on bleeding. 
Say you’ll come back with me, please, and do some- 
thing for my poor little Josh!” 

“To be sure we will I” cried the minister. “It’s 
Sunday, but the better the day the better the deed. 
One whom we love and worship went about doing 
good on the seventh day of the week. I’ll be 
ready in a minute, my friend. Dick, I’d like you — 
yes, and Leslie also, to accompany me. Perhaps 


158 THE Y, M,C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Mr. Rowland will come with us, if you, Harry, 
can get along here with both of your assistants 
gone.” 

“To be sure, Mr. Holwell. We are all under 
your direction and at your disposal, you know.” 

Some of the other boys would have been glad 
to go along, but evidently Mr. Holwell thought 
he had enough helpers. 

“We’ll use one of our boats,” he said as they 
gathered, ready to depart on their mission of 
mercy. We’ll save considerable time by not 
pushing through the woods to where you landed, 
sir. Later on you can recover your skiff.” 

Accordingly, they started. Dick rowed across 
to the mainland, and as the lake chanced to be 
very still he found little difficulty in making fast 
time. Leslie was fairly itching to take a turn, but 
Dick laughingly declared he could do his rowing 
on the way back. 

Upon landing they pulled the boat up on the 
shore, and then, with the farmer acting as pilot, 
the expedition of relief set forth. Their pilot 
knew every foot of ground in that neighborhood, 
and followed a trail that the boys, thanks to his 
advice, had used in coming back from their visit 
to his farm in search of provisions. 

Now. and then the worried father would turn 
to Mr. Holwell, and the piteous look on his face 
always brought forth words of hope and cheer 


A MISSION OF MERCY 


159 


from the kind-hearted minister, who knew full well 
how the man was suffering. 

After a short time the party reached the farm. 
The man hurried them across by way of a short- 
cut, meanwhile shouting to his wife that he had 
brought help. 

She met them at the door, a pleasant, motherly 
looking woman, though just then white of face, 
and evidently suffering greatly. 

“Is he still alive. Mother?” gasped the farmer. 

“Yes, but the wound still bleeds in spite of 
everything I can do to stop it !” she told him. Then 
h'er eyes fastened on the minister, whose calling 
she could guess from his white cravat and clerical 
clothes, donned because of the day. “And oh I 
sir, I do hope you can do something to help save 
our boy, even as the Master whom you preach 
went about doing good for those in trouble,” she 
pleaded. 

“We will do everything possible,” said Mr. 
Holwell, quietly. “I know very little about sur- 
gery myself, but Mr. Rowland, here, has some 
surgical knowledge, and IVe heard it said that one 
of these boys has done things that have won him 
warm praise from Doctor Bowen in Cliffwood. 
Please take us to the lad. Madam.” 

They found Josh in a bad way, and looking 
ghastly white, for he had indeed lost a large 
amount of blood. It was Leslie Capes of whom 


160 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


the minister had spoken so highly as they entered 
the house. Mr. Rowland had before this discov- 
ered Leslie’s dexterity and ability, and motioned 
to him to go ahead with the work, standing back 
ready to give instant help if necessary. With- 
out a second’s delay Leslie undid the rude band- 
ages with which the anxious parents had swathed 
the limb, and exposed the gash. 

It was indeed a serious wound, and if no help 
had come, within another hour or so the boy would 
would probably have died from loss of blood. 
Dick himself could see that neither of the parents 
knew the first thing about anatomy, or where to 
place the knot when they tried to form a tourni- 
quet that could be twisted, and by pressure on the 
artery cause the bleeding to cease. 

The two boys set to work with a vim that 
pleased Mr. Holwell and Mr. Rowland exceed- 
ingly, and it was pitiful to see how the distracted 
father and mother followed every little move the 
amateur surgeons made. 

First of all Leslie constructed a new tourniquet, 
and managed to stop the loss of precious life fluid. 
Then he had the mistress of the house fetch him 
warm water and a basin, and washed the boy’s 
foot and leg, after which he bound the limb up. 

“You must hurry over to your nearest neigh- 
bor, Mr. Jones,” he told the farmer, “and bor- 
row a horse, so as to go to town for a doctor. 


A MISSION OF MERCY 


161 


That artery will have to be sewed, and Fm not 
quite able to tackle such a job yet, though I hope 
to do it in time. This tourniquet will prevent the 
blood from coming, though it isn’t good to keep it 
on for more than a few hours.” 

“Then you think he’ll pull through all right, do 
you. Doctor?” asked the mother, so filled with 
gratitude that she gave Leslie a title that he was 
proud of ever afterwards. 

“Not any doubt about it,” he told her, so 
warmly that the man and his wife turned and 
looked into each other’s eyes, and then cried for 
sheer joy as they embraced each other. 

Mr. Holwell saw to it that the farmer hurried 
off to the neighbor’s house, which lay a mile or 
so further on. He could get a horse there, and 
reach the nearest town. 

Of course none of the party felt like returning 
to the camp until it was known that the doctor had 
been reached; so they spent the rest of that never- 
to-be-forgotten Sunday afternoon on the farm. 
The good woman of the house bustled about from 
time to time when she dared leave her boy, and 
saw to it that the visitors were well looked after, 
pressing fresh buttermilk upon them, apples and 
cake and ever5^ing that she thought the heart of 
a genuine boy could wish for. 

Finally, when it was getting along toward sun- 
set they heard an automobile coming, and upon 


162 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


sighting it discovered that the farmer, as well as 
a fat little man with a professional air, occupied 
the seat of the runabout. 

When the physician looked at Leslie’s work he 
smiled and patted the boy patronizingly on the 
head. 

“Keep on doing this sort of thing, son,” he 
observed, “and some of these days you are bound 
to be a good surgeon. I never saw a finer bit of 
work done, and I’ve been an army surgeon in my 
time, too, during the Spanish-American war.” 

Mr. Holwell said that since they were no longer 
needed it would be wise for his party to take its 
departure, especially since the trail led through 
the dark woods, and they had some two miles to 
cover before arriving at the lake. So, over- 
whelmed by the gratitude of Josh’s parents, they 
presently started forth. 

In the gloaming they covered the last half mile 
of their journey, and the thoughts of the kind- 
hearted minister were very pleasant ones as he 
considered that he had been given a gracious op- 
portunity to follow in the footsteps of Him who 
delighted in going about, Sunday or week-day, 
doing good to all who were in distress. 

“There, you can see the light of our campfire 
over the water!” said Leslie, presently. “Arid 
we’ll soon be in the boat pulling across. My turn 
to row, remember, Dick, if you please.” 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE BROTHERLY SPIRIT 

“Tell us all about it, please!’’ was the way 
the party was greeted as the boat drew to shore. 

“Will little Josh get over his hurt, do you 
think?” asked Ban Jansen. 

“And did Leslie, here, show what he could do 
along the line of first aid to the injured?” de- 
manded Elmer Jones. “I’ve seen him do stunts 
that took my breath away, and I just guess he 
ought to be able to stop an artery from bleeding.” 

“That was just what he did. I’m proud to say,” 
the minister announced. At this there were 
whoops of delight, and many heavy slaps dropped 
on Leslie’s back as they started up to the camp, 
where Sunny Jim had supper ready. 

While they sat around the supper table the story 
was soon told, interrupted from time to time as 
some one wished to learn a few more particulars. 
Mr. Holwell and their physical director could not 
say enough about the work of the boys who had 
accompanied them. 

“I’m constantly being reminded,” the minister 
163 


164 THE F. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


went on to remark, “of the fact that boys of to-day 
are away ahead of those of my generation in a 
good many ways. They are learning to do all 
sorts of things calculated to make them better citi- 
zens of our glorious republic when they grow up. 
I take it that there are myriads of lads who are 
capable of stanching a bleeding wound just as 
Leslie did this afternoon; of bringing back the 
breath of life to a boy who has apparently been 
drowned; and in fact of doing a dozen similar 
deeds of incalculable value.” 

“How about another trap, Dan?” asked Andy 
Hale, as they sat around later on that Sunday 
evening. 

Mr. Bartlett had given them a short talk that 
he thought they might appreciate, since it was not 
at all in the nature of a sermon. It really inter- 
ested even such indifferent fellows as Nat and Dit 
and Alonzo, who had never had thrust upon them 
the idea of looking upon any one day of the week 
as differing from the rest. 

“Yes, that’s so, Dan, what do you expect to do 
about it?” Peg added. “Are you ready to cry 
quits with one knock-down?” 

“I don’t know just yet,” admitted Dan, shaking 
his head dubiously. “I might try to get up another 
sort of scheme, but let me tell you it’s no joke 
to make a trap able to hold a giant like that. Why, 
he broke oak limbs as if they were paper. He 


THE BROTHERLY SPIRIT 


165 


must be a terribly strong man, if that’s any sign.” 

Dan was deeply puzzled. Dick did not won- 
der at it either; and if he had been asked he would 
have found it difficult to suggest a plan whereby 
the mysterious prowler could be secured without 
hurting him to any extent. 

The campers spent a quiet evening. There was 
considerable singing, but Mr. Bartlett saw to it 
that the choruses were all of a character suited to 
the day. The entire group of boys joined in, and 
they made a volume of sound that carried far 
across the lake, and might even have been heard 
miles away on the other side of Bass Island. 

Then Leslie, who had a splendid tenor voice, 
obliged them on request with a number of songs 
that were old favorites with Mr. Holwell. 

“I must say,” remarked that pleased gentleman, 
“I have never heard them sung better, or under 
more romantic surroundings than here and now. 
I assure you all I shall write this little camping 
trip down as one of the most enjoyable experiences 
of my whole life. I am glad to be with you, boys, 
glad to feel that all of us are here to have a 
good time, and to be helpful to each other.” 

Even Nat and his pair of cronies seemed to be 
fairly satisfied. As for Eddie Grant, Cub Mannis 
and Ban Jansen, they frankly admitted they had 
never in all their lives enjoyed anything one half 
so much. 


166 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Mr. Bartlett has promised to let some of us 
go off with you in the morning, Eddie,” remarked 
Dick, casually, as they sat together during the 
evening, “to see if we can beat you three filling a 
bucket apiece with blueberries. It’s too bad that 
you should have to spend so much of your time 
while up here doing that sort of thing; and we 
mean to fix it so you’ll have more time off, any- 
how.” 

The three mill boys looked as though they could 
not find words to express their gratitude. It was 
not the fact that they wanted to shirk work. They 
had always been forced to labor for their living; 
but the idea of any one voluntarily offering in this 
brotherly way to assume their tasks in order to 
let them have a little enjoyment touched their 
hearts deeply. This outing on the part of the 
mill boys, along with their pleasant intercourse 
with the others, was bound to have an influence 
upon Eddie Grant’s crowd. Mr. Holwell and Mr. 
Bartlett both felt sure there would be an accession 
to the club from the mill part of Cliffwood’s young 
people when the three boys got back to town, and 
they could tell what a glorious time they had ex- 
perienced. 

Some of the boys wondered when the time came 
to go to bed whether they would be disturbed 
again by a visit from the unknown creature that 
had taken to prowling about the camp on Bass 


THE BROTHERLY SPIRIT 


167 


Island. Most of them, however, were of the 
opinion that what had happened on the preceding 
night might deter the wild man from making any 
more of his visits, at least until several days had 
passed. 

Nevertheless, it was to be noticed that some 
of them took especial pains to examine the fast- 
enings of the tents close to their heads. Dick 
playfully asked Peg Fosdick if he anticipated an- 
other thunder-storm some time in the night and 
feared that a wild wind might carry the covering 
away and leave them exposed to the weather, that 
he was so particular about having the lashings of 
the tent secure, and the various pegs well driven 
into the ground. 

Nat pretended to be above these petty weak- 
nesses. He imagined that Alonzo and Dit after 
his disclosure of a panicky condition on the other 
day were thinking less of his boasted valor, so he 
boldly declared his intention of sleeping right out 
in the open, if the camp director allowed him the 
privilege. 

“It’s all right for those that feel timid to hud- 
dle like a flock of sheep in under the canvas,” he 
remarked with a sneer. “But shucks I what do I 
care about this here old wild man of the woods. 

^ If he comes bothering around me, I’ll pretty soon 
show him what’s doing. Nothing’d tickle me 
more’n to have him bend down and let me get my 


168 THE r. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


arms twisted around his neck. I’d soon make all 
your slick traps, Dan Fenwick, look like thirty 
cents. Huh I” 

The last the others saw of Nat he had actually 
placed his blanket in the open and was making 
ready to “camp out” in truth. It must have been 
like balm to his heart when Alonzo remarked: 

“Gee whiz! I don’t see how you’ve got the 
nerve to do it, Nat. I wouldn’t like to be in your 
boots, that’s all I can say.” 

The night was not half over when again the 
sleepers were awakened — this time by a wild 
shriek close at hand. And as the boys came tumb- 
ling out it was to see Nat rolling about in his 
blanket and shouting amidst its folds. 


CHAPTER XXII 


WHAT NAT SAW 

“Nat's got a fit!” yelled Andy Hale, giving 
vent to the first thought that flashed into his mind 
when he saw the other carrying on so wildly. 

“More likely the wild man tackled him!” cried 
Peg Fosdick. 

“Whee! hold on to him then, Nat! Don’t let 
him get away!” Eddie Grant admonished, while 
Clint Babbett added to the din by adding: 

“We’re right here, Nat, ready to help you! 
Sic him, Nat. Get a strangle hold on the ferocious 
burglar !” 

Suddenly Nat stopped whirling about so fur- 
iously. He even managed to poke his tousled 
head from under the folds of his blanket, and 
seemed to squint cautiously about him, much as 
a tortoise does after an alarm. 

“Is it gone?” he demanded, faintly, as though 
short of breath. 

“What ails you, Nat?” asked Dick. 

“Been having an attack of the nightmare, I 
reckon, and dreamed he saw something as big as 
169 


170 THE Y, M.C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


a house and as ugly as Bill Biddon’s bulldog!” 
snapped Dan Fenwick, with a perceptible sneer in 
his voice. 

It was noticed that neither Alonzo Crane nor 
Dit Hennesy uttered a single word. Apparently 
they knew Nat would not act in this way simply 
after having had a silly dream. Both of them had 
been in his company that afternoon in the woods 
of Bass Island when Nat claimed to have seen 
the unknown monster that was haunting their 
camp. 

“Say, what d’you take me for, anyway?” de- 
manded Nat, as he crawled out of the tangled 
folds of his blanket, and looked defiantly around 
him. “I tell you Fve seen a terror of the woods 
all right, and I only hope never to set eyes on the 
same again. If I had my way I’d start for Cliff- 
wood to-morrow. I didn’t come up here to have 
Old Nick, or something just as bad, play leap-frog 
over me, I want you to know.” 

Some of the boys could be heard muttering to 
themselves. Plainly these strange words on the 
part of Nat gave them cause for worry. 

“Tell us all about it, Nat, won’t you?” pleaded 
Alonzo, who was looking rather white under the 
eyes, Dick noticed — a plain indication of a craven 
spirit, boys are always ready to avow. 

“Oh ! I’m willing to tell all I know,” replied the 
other, readily enough, “even if ’tisn’t much. When 


WHAT NAT SAW 


171 


a feller gets waked up all of a sudden like, and 
sees such a thing hoppin’ right over him, he’s not 
agoin’ to stop and take too long a look. I own 
up I ducked under the blanket right away, and 
started rollin’ around, meanin’, of course, to keep 
it from grabbin’ hold of me.” 

“What was it like, Nat?” asked Dick, while 
Mr. Holwell stood by an interested listener, a 
puzzled expression on his kindly face. Mr. Bart- 
lett and the physical director were also on hand, 
while a black face thrust out from the cook tent 
told that Sunny Jim was listening. 

“Oh 1 say, when I try to tell you I just seem to 
get all balled up,” complained the boy who had 
been the cause of the midnight alarm. 

“But you can give us some idea,” persisted Dick. 
“Already you’ve gone and compared it to Satan 
himself. Did he have a forked tail and cloven 
hoofs?” 

Nat failed to catch the satire in Dick’s question 
and voice. 

“I shouldn’t be ’tall surprised if it did,” he 
calmly replied, “though I don’t want to exactly 
say I seen all that. But I give you my honest 
word, cross my heart, if it didn’t look like it must 
a come from down below. Ugh I but it certainly 
gimme a bad feelin’.” 

“Must have thought they’d sent for you, on 
account of some of the fierce things you’d done 


172 THE Y. M. C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


in the past, eh, Nat?’* quizzed Peg, boldly, for he 
knew the bully of Cliliwood was in no frame of 
mind to take offense just then, and pick a quarrel. 

“Never you mind what I thought. Peg Fos- 
dick!” said the other, still trembling. “If you’d 
had the same experience I did, I reckon your 
nerves’d a been shaky too.” 

“Which way did it seem to go after jumping 
over you, Nat?” asked Dick, bent on extracting 
all the information possible from the alarmed one 
while the incident was still fresh in his memory. 
Later on he would be apt to become hazy about 
particulars, and even contradict himself it might 
be. 

“Shucks I as if I bothered much takin’ any notice 
of such foolish little things as that,” replied Nat. 
“The only thing I do recollect was that it hopped 
over me cornin’ from the left side. So I rolled 
the other way, you see.” 

“And you lay down with your head toward the 
north, didn’t you, Nat?” came from Leslie, who 
realized that Dick was trying his best to get hold 
of some sort of clue, though really it did not ap- 
pear to matter much. 

“Here’s the way I was lyin’, so you can figure 
it out for yourselves,” said the other, throwing 
himself down for a moment, and then regaining 
his feet* to continue his tale. 

“But you want to understand that I’m done 


WHAT NAT SAW 


173 


sleepin’ out here alone after this. I ain’t hank- 
erin’ about bein’ waked up to find things like that 
playin’ leap-frog over me.” 

He picked up his blanket with an air of deter- 
mination that could not be mistaken. Dick under- 
stood from this that Nat must have been pretty 
badly frightened by his sudden awakening, and 
what he claimed to have seen. 

These things aroused in Dick’s mind a greater 
determination than ever to learn the answer to the 
puzzle before leaving Bass Island. When the 
morning came one of the first things he meant to 
devote his attention to was searching for a clue 
to the character, of the unknown terror. 

It was not very pleasant standing around in the 
chilly night air, and lightly clad at that, so when 
Mr. Bartlett suggested that they turn in again 
no one offered any objection. 

If the unknown creature that had taken to 
haunting Russabaga Camp came again between 
midnight and the break of day no one was any 
the wiser for his visit. With the first streaks of 
early dawn there were signs of activity about the 
camp, and one by one the boys began to make their 
appearance. 

There was a chill in the air on this morning, 
making it quite different from several preceding 
ones, and many of the boys were seen to shiver 
when indulging in the usual morning dip. 


174 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


But it would have to be something wonderful 
that could hinder those amazing appetites of theirs 
from gripping them. Every one seemed anxious 
to have a hand in assisting Sunny Jim in getting 
breakfast, until Mr. Bartlett was compelled to call 
half a dozen of the boys away. 

“ ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth,’ ” he told 
them. “You’re only hindering Jim when you hang 
around that way. Some of you swing the axe, and 
cut more firewood. It disappears mighty fast, you 
notice. Others can fetch the blankets out and 
fasten them on the lines for their morning airing.” 

In the end breakfast was announced. The main 
•dish on this morning consisted of fried slices of 
home-cured ham and fresh eggs turned over in 
the skillets. There was besides plenty of boiled 
hominy, of the fine variety which in the South goes 
by the name of “grits.” To finish up with all the 
pancakes were provided that any boy could swal- 
low. They were, however, called “flap-jacks” by 
the campers, it being understood that a heavy fine 
or penalty awaited the one who dared designate 
them as “griddle-cakes,” “pan-cakes,” or “flannel- 
cakes.” That would make them feel as if they 
were eating at home, with a white table-cloth and 
china in evidence, instead of off in the wilds far 
from the busy haunts of men. 

There were some other “haunts” apparently, 
that bothered several of the boys considerably, 


WHAT NAT SAW 


175 


Nat in particular. He had not recovered from 
his shock of the preceding night, nor could any of 
the other boys find it in their hearts to blame him 
very much. 

Nat Silmore had always been known as a bully, 
afraid, in fact, of nothing that walked on two 
legs; and to hear him candidly admitting that he 
was genuinely disposed to quit the camp on ac- 
count of his anxieties gave several of the boys a 
feeling of real alarm. 

Dick managed to get Leslie aside after they 
had finished breakfast, though most of the others 
still lingered at the table. In fact some of them 
could not find the heart to get up so long as a single 
“flap-jack’’ remained. 

“What do you think of it?” Dick asked his 
best chum. 

“I have to jump at conclusions when you fire 
that question right at me,” replied Leslie, with a 
broad smile; “so I reckon you must mean about 
the thing Nat saw, or thought he saw last night.” 

“Well, I’ve been turning it all over in my mind,” 
continued Dick, frankly, “and have come to the 
conclusion that he must have seen something. Nat 
isn’t a timid chap by any means, as every one 
knows; and if you watch him right now you’ll 
notice how he keeps looking to the right and left 
all the while he eats. He’s half expecting to have 
something jump out at him.” 


176 THE Y. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“That’s right, as sure as you live,” admitted 
Leslie. “If things keep on like this much longer, 
Dick, our camping trip will be spoiled. Why, 
none of the fellows will care to wander into the 
woods, and before we came they had laid out all 
sorts of schemes that would take them there.” 

“Yes, I know they had planned to explore every 
foot of Bass Island,” said Dick, moodily. 
“They’re beginning to care only for going out on 
the water.” 

“Humph I a good reason why,” grunted Leslie. 
“That mysterious wild man can’t get them out 
there, it seems. Yes, just as you say it threatens to 
upset all our jolly plans. What’s got to be done 
about it, Dick? I’m ready to try anything you 
say.” 

Dick scratched his head as if in deep thought. 

“Well,” he remarked, finally, “of course one 
of the first things I did this morning was to get 
down on my hands and knees and examine the 
ground where Nat says Jie was sleeping when he 
woke up to see something jump over him.” 

“And did you make any discovery worth while, 
Dick?” 

A shake of the head answered this question even 
before Dick could frame words to reply. 

“Why, no, I can’t say I did,” he went on to 
say. “The fact of the matter is the ground was 
so well tramped over that there couldn’t be any 


WHAT NAT SAW 


177 


way of finding the footprints of the wild man, 
even if he did hop over Nat as he lay there. I 
had to give up in the end, and call it a bad job.” 

“I’m sorry for that,” said Leslie, who appar- 
ently had begun to indulge in the hope that his 
clever friend might have come upon a clue. 

“But there’s another chance for us,” ventured 
Dick. 

“To find a track, you mean, do you?” ques- 
tioned Leslie, taking fresh courage. 

“Why, somehow or other,” Dick explained, 
“none of us thought to look closely into that trap 
of Dan’s which was smashed by the wild man the 
other night. Now, let’s the two of us slip away 
as soon as the morning service is over without 
telling any one what’s in the wind. We can prowl 
around there, and see if some sort of sign is to be 
picked up that will give us the clue we want.” 

As soon as the religious service, which was held 
every morning after breakfast, was over, Dick 
whispered to his chum : 

“Let’s be moving, Leslie, while the crowd is still 
sitting around. Mr. Holwell seems to be telling 
them one of his stories about his experiences. 
Every little while somthing that happens seems to 
stir up his memory. He’s seen a heap of queer 
things in his day.” Accordingly, the pair walked 
away unnoticed by any of their comrades. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


THE TELLTALE FOOTPRINT 

As THE spot Dick and Leslie were heading for 
lay only a short distance away from the heart of 
the camp the two boys quickly reached it. They 
could plainly hear the laughter of the others when 
the minister reached some comical part in his story 
of the early experiences associated with his check- 
ered career. 

“Here’s the wreck of Dan’s trap,” remarked 
Leslie. “He lost heart when the wild man 
smashed thfngs so easily, and hasn’t managed to 
hatch up another scheme to catch him, though I 
know he’s thinking about it all the time.” 

“Let’s take up every piece of wood first, and 
see if they can tell us anything,” suggested Dick. 

Leslie looked as though for the life of him he 
could not see how a mere piece of broken branch 
could speak and explain; but at the same time he 
knew Dick must have a meaning attached to his 
words. 

Accordingly, they commenced to handle the 
remnants that told of Dan’s wonderful trap, 
which had failed to hold the wild man. 

178 


THE TELLTALE FOOTPRINT 179 


Leslie suddenly heard his chum give a low bub- 
bling cry. 

“What have you found?” he asked, hurriedly, 
all excitement, 

“Come here and see,” he was told. 

“Well, I declare! that’s a bunch of hair cling- 
ing to a broken bit of wood, or I miss my guess 1” 
ejaculated Leslie Capes almost immediately. 

“And sort of reddish-brown hair at that, you 
notice,” Dick told him. “That must have come 
from the hide of an animal, mark you, and not 
from a man at all 1” 

“Gee Whittaker, Dick! What are you saying?” 

“The wild man, as we’ve been calling him, isn’t 
a human being at all, it seems,” Dick continued, 
slowly, as though he were trying to grasp a stu- 
pendous idea. 

“But, Dick, don’t forget that Nat has seen the 
creature twice now,” urged Leslie. 

“I know that,” admitted Dick. 

“Yes, and there was Alonzo Crane and Dit 
Hennesy, too, who told us they glimpsed him be- 
fore he vanished into the brush. All three vowed 
it was a short-looking man with awfully broad 
shoulders and long arms, and that he bent over as 
he moved.” 

“Granting all that,” persisted Dick, clinging to 
his rapidly forming theory, “it could have been an 
animal just the same.” 


180 THE F. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“A four-footed animal do you mean, Dick?’’ 

“Why not?” came the steady reply. “Some 
animals that can be called four-footed sometimes 
walk on their two hind feet, such as monkeys and 
apes. Even bears can do the trick without much 
trouble; and we’ve seen elephants dancing in a 
circus, keeping their forelegs elevated all the 
while.” 

Leslie gave a whistle to indicate his surprise. 

“Look here, Dick, you’re getting close to the 
truth of this mystery, I just know it from your 
ways. Tell me what you think, please, Dick.” 

“Wait a bit,” admonished the other. “Let’s 
look around here and see if we have any better 
luck than I did in the camp.” 

“You mean hunting for signs, don’t you?” 

“Yes, see if you can run across any footprint 
that doesn’t look like those the boys would make 
with their shoes,” he was advised. 

Both busied themselves at that, bending low the 
better to examine closely every foot of the neigh- 
boring ground. It was Leslie who gave utterance 
to a cry this time. 

“Oh! come over here, Dick!” he exclaimed, as 
though thrilled by a discovery he had made. “I’ve 
found something!” 

When Dick bent over and took a look he 
laughed. 

“Just what I was expecting we’d run across 



“WHAT SORT OF ANIMAL WOULD HAVE FEET LIKE THOSE 

HE ASKED. 


The Y. M. C. A. Boys on Bass Island 


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THE TELLTALE FOOTPRINT 


181 


somewhere around,” he said. “The plain imprint 
of a bare foot 1 And no human being, wild man 
or not, ever made that mark, let me tell you, 
Leslie.” 

“It does look somewhat queer I own up, Dick.” 

“For a human being I should say it was impos- 
sible,” continued the other. “Notice its peculiar 
shape in the first place. And the foot is hardly 
longer than the toes. Yes, and they’ve got long 
nails on them in the bargain. There’s also a pad 
to the sole that no human ever has.” 

Leslie’s eyes were staring. He turned them on 
his companion with an interrogation point in each 
orb. Somehow Dick was usually to be depended 
on to rise to an occasion like this, and find out the 
truth. His chums had long ago learned how abso- 
lutely they could depend on him when the necessity 
arose. 

“What sort of animal, Dick, would have feet 
like those?” he asked, boldly. 

“Well, a gorilla might, for one,” Dick declared. 

No wonder Leslie gasped his amazement. 

“A gorilla, Dick? An ape loose in the woods 
on Bass Island! Why, surely I must be dream- 
ing, or else you’re joshing me.” 

Dick, however, stuck to his guns manfully. 

“Remember, Leslie,” he went on to say, stead- 
ily, “I can’t even guess how such an animal could 
get across from the mainland, even granting that 


182 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


one escaped at some time from a menagerie that 
was wrecked in a storm. We’re dealing with facts 
now, not theories. There’s an animal over here, 
because some of our crowd have seen it, and all 
of us have looked on the wreck of the trap set 
to hold it. I honestly and truly believe it’ll turn 
out to be a gorilla.” 

“Well, let’s figure out how that explanation 
agrees with what we know,” was the sensible way 
Leslie commenced. “All the boys who have 
glimpsed the creature agreed that it was short in 
stature, and with broad shoulders, as well as long 
arms. I remember that gorillas are built that 
way, Dick.” 

“Yes, and travelers say they are very power- 
ful,” added the other. “I’ve read how a wounded 
gorilla will snatch the rifle out of a hunter’s hands, 
and twist the barrel as easily as if it were made of 
wire, tying it in a knot.” 

“So he would have no trouble in smashing Dan’s 
silly trap, that’s right,” Leslie went on to say. 
“Yes, and I can also remember reading, Dick, that 
such an animal, when it gets mad, thumps on its 
chest and makes a rumbling sound like the beating 
of a drum.” 

“Sure enough!” Dick exclaimed, smiling with 
glee over the probability of having solved the 
mystery that had been haunting the camp so long, 
“didn’t the boys tell all about hearing some one 


THE TELLTALE FOOTPRINT 183 


drumming, when they glimpsed the wild man as 
they thought, going through the brush?” 

“Dick, I do believe weVe solved the puzzle at 
last!” 

“Fm dead sure of it!” Dick declared, “after 
finding this telltale scrap of reddish hair on the 
stick, and seeing that queer footprint. One thing 
certain, it’s likely we’ll never know just how the 
creature managed to get across here.” 

“You mean from the mainland, I suppose,” ven- 
tured Leslie. “Can a gorilla swim, do you think, 
Dick?” 

“I don’t know, but I should say not,” came the 
dubious reply. 

“Well, then we’ll just have to make a stab at it, 
and let the thing go at that,” Leslie continued, 
philosophically. “Mebbe the beast was on a log 
that drifted away from the shore when he was 
washing his face or trying to catch a fish for his 
dinner — if gorillas ever eat such things, which I 
doubt. Then the floating log carried him across 
to the island, and he’s been marooned here ever 
since. How about that for an explanation, Dick?” 

“For want of a better it will have to stand, I 
suppose,” Dick told him. “But let’s go and give 
the rest of the bunch a surprise.” 

Leslie, of course, was willing, and away they 
hurried to startle their camp-mates with the recital 
of the discovery they had just made. 


184! THE F. M. C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Every one had to examine the stick that had 
the clump of dun-colored hair fastened to its splin- 
tered part. Then all rushed to the spot where the 
remains of the man-trap lay scattered around, 
Dick taking care that no one crowded so close 
as to endanger the strange and telltale footprint. 

Long and earnestly every boy gazed at this 
mark. Queer feelings came over them as they 
realized that in all probability Dick had indeed 
solved the mystery. 

Nat in particular was triumphantly declaring 
that he had been vindicated. 

“Say, what did I tell you?” he demanded of 
Dan and Peg as a grin crept over his face. “A 
gorilla can hop if it wants to, can’t it? Well, 
that’s what the critter did with me when it saw 
me startin’ to sit up. And say! ain’t a gorilla 
somethin’ like a short, squatty man with wide 
shoulders and long arms? Well, didn’t all three 
of us try to describe the thing we saw in the brush 
like that? Huh ! next time don’t get quite so fresh 
with your remarks. Peg Fosdick!” 

“Oh, so far as that goes, Nat,” the other said 
humbly enough, “we all admit that you must have 
been right. Yes, and Pll go further when I say 
that if a gorilla hopped over me in the night, and 
I saw him, Pd think it was the Old Scratch him- 
self. You’re all right, Nat, even if you were 
scared half to death.” 


THE TELLTALE FOOTPRINT 185 


Nat flared up as though inclined to resent this 
imputation regarding his well known courage. On 
second thought, however, he held his tongue. 
Perhaps he remembered that he had frankly ad- 
mitted being frightened. And on the whole the 
sooner that matter was dropped the better. 

Mr. Holwell, as well as the other two gentle- 
men, had, of course, taken a decided interest in 
all that passed. In this he found a good reason 
for adding to the high opinion he already had 
concerning Dick’s abilities. Any boy who could 
figure out an answer to such a baffling mystery 
deserved worlds of credit, and the minister was 
prouder of Dick than ever. 

Indeed, Mr. Holwell was feeling more and 
more pleased every day, that he had decided to 
take a little vacation and spend it on Bass Island 
in camp with the boys of the Junior Department 
of the local Y. M. C. A. He dearly loved to 
study boy-nature, and watch the development of 
those faculties that in the years to come might 
carry the possessors on to fame or fortune. 

Clint Babbett was coaxed to get his camera and 
take a photograph of the strange footprint. He 
had more or less trouble in arranging things to 
suit his ideas, but after several attempts declared 
that he believed he had succeeded, and, in time, 
when he had developed that film, they would be 
able to prove their claim by displaying an exact 


186 THE F. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


reproduction of the telltale track. Others who 
possessed cameras were not deterred from trying 
the same task. 

“But I hope we don’t let it go at that, fellows,” 
the first photographer said, after completing his 
last effort. 

“Not much,” remarked Andy Hale. “Some 
of the knockers down in Cliffwood wouldn’t be- 
lieve a word of what we said unless we had better 
proof to show than just a picture of some marks 
on the ground. Why, they’d claim we’d made 
them in order to pull the wool over their eyes.” 

Looks were exchanged, that spoke of hidden 
thoughts and grim resolutions. Peg Fosdick un- 
doubtedly voiced the sentiments of many when he 
went on to remark seriously : 

“One thing sure, boys, we must think up some 
way to kill this Jabberwock of the Bass Island 
woods. We could have the skin stuffed, and stood 
up in our room at the Y. M. C. A. building, you 
know. Every one who called would ask for the 
story of what happened up here in camp.” 

Harry Bartlett glanced over at Mr. Holwell. 
He would have said something himself, only he 
seemed to guess that the minister would express 
his thoughts if given a chance. 

“Wait a bit, boys,” said Mr. Holwell, gently. 
“Let’s consider this thing well before deciding to 
try to kill this poor animal. The rooms of a Y. M. 


THE TELLTALE FOOTPRINT 187 


C. A. building are hardly suitable for the exhibi- 
tion of stuffed wild animals. The rules of the 
organization do not encourage the hunting instinct, 
only a laudable desire to build up the human body, 
so that a healthy mind may be better qualified to 
grasp the precious truths that are so frequently 
proclaimed within these walls. In fact, I can 
easily imagine several patrons of the association 
staring in wonder and displeasure upon discover- 
ing a stuffed gorilla standing guard in your de- 
partment.” 

“But do we have just to keep on enduring his 
visits night after night, sir?” Peg asked, appeal- 
ingly. “Would there be any objection to Dan 
here getting up some sort of trap that would hold 
the gorilla a prisoner, so we could return him to 
the Zoological Gardens that mebbe he escaped 
from?” 

Mr. Holwell smiled on hearing that. 

“Pm sure there could be no objection to such 
a scheme, provided Dan is able to conjure up a 
plan that will turn out better than the last trap 
did,” he answered. At this Dan blushed, and then 
grinned as though he felt the remark was intended 
as a compliment. 

“Oh I leave all that to me, sir,” he said, boldly. 
“Right now Fm figuring on a bully scheme that is 
bound to work. And this time I don’t mean to 
trust to just plain snares or traps.” 


CHAPTER XXIV 


dan's new idea 

“Somehow Fm feeling unusually smart this 
morning,” said Peg Fosdick, as he came face to 
face with Dan Fenwick, after the excitement had 
somewhat abated, “and Fm going to challenge 
you to a spin in the rowing shells across to that 
little island away over there and back again. I 
dare you to accept, Dan!” 

Dan was one of those who seem to be always 
carrying chips on their shoulders, and any one 
knocking that chip off would have his hands full 
immediately. 

“Count me in the game I” he quickly exclaimed. 
“That is, if Mr. Rowland will give us the neces- 
sary permission. I’ve been wanting to make a 
test of your boast that you were a better oarsman 
than any of the rest of us, barring Eddie Grant and 
Ban Jansen.” 

“Well, here’s your chance to make goodl” 
jeered Peg. 

The athletic instructor, coming along just then, 
was appealed to in such terms of entreaty that he 

i88 


DAN^S NEW IDEA 


189 


laughingly consented to the trial of skill and 
strength, for rowing combines both these necessary 
qualifications. 

The knowledge that another rivalry had broken 
out interested most of the campers, although a 
very few were so much taken up with other tasks 
and hobbies, such as photography, that they de- 
clined to become enthusiastic. 

The two clumsy boats which Peg had 
ambitiously called “shells,” were overhauled and 
put in as good condition as possible. Though, 
being old craft and rather dilapidated, there was 
a fair chance that one of them might leak so badly 
that it would necessitate a stop during the contest 
in order to bail. To make things fair, however, 
it was arranged that should such a delay occur 
a certain signal was to be given by the victim, 
which would call for a halt on the part of the 
other competitor until the leaking boat had been 
relieved of its unwelcome cargo of water. Then 
again would operations be resumed. 

At a signal from Mr. Rowland away went the 
rivals, both using the oars at a furious rate, 
although they had been cautioned by the athletic 
conductor to be deliberate, and not to exhaust 
themselves in the beginning of the race. 

Both lads had stripped, and donned their swim- 
ming trunks, the better to be able to take care of 
themselves should any serious accident befall them 


190 THE Y. M. a A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


while speeding across the water toward the small 
island that was to represent the turning point. 
Moreover, each boat contained a life preserver, 
for those who had the safety of the Y. M. C. A. 
boys in their keeping took no unnecessary chances. 

In their excitement both contestants forgot most 
of the instructions so carefully given by Mr. Row- 
land. When one found that the other was forg- 
ing ahead ever so little it meant that on his part 
he had to row harder in order to close up the gap 
before it grew to discouraging proportions. Those 
on Bass Island could see that neither contestant 
rowed in a manner that was to his credit, for there 
seemed to be an unusual amount of splashing done 
as the oars fell hurriedly into the water. 

Peg turned the island a little in the lead, and 
from this the onlookers fancied Dan’s boat must 
either be leaking, or else his energies were flag- 
ging under the heavy strain. 

On the way back Peg seemed to be increasing 
his lead, and it looked as if the race were bound 
to go to him. But Dick, who knew that Dan was 
a hard fellow to beat, did not share in that con- 
viction. 

“Wait!” he told the group of shouting boys. 
“No race is decided until it is finished. Dan may 
have a card up his sleeve yet. See! both have 
stopped and are resting on their oars. I think 
Dan has given the signal that he must ‘pump ship,’ 


DAN^S NEW IDEA 


191 


for I remember that his boat is a shade the worse 
of the two. But the rest will give Dan the second 
wind he often needs. Then watch him make things 
fly.” 

As it turned out Dick was exactly right in his 
prediction. After the race was resumed it seemed 
that Dan had received much more benefit from the 
rest than, had Peg, for it was noticed that the gap 
between the two boats was closing. Despite the 
almost frantic efforts of Peg the distance separat- 
ing the rivals grew less and less. When the boats 
were a short distance away from the shore of 
Bass Island they seemed to be on even terms. But 
this was not to last. 

Dan had a certain amount of strength left which 
enabled him to push the nose of his boat ahead of 
the opposing craft. That discouraged Peg, and 
he lost heart in the race, well knowing that in his 
exhausted condition he could never regain the 
lead. Indeed, the boy crumpled up in his seat, and 
allowed his boat to push on with its acquired mo- 
mentum until it reached land. 

Meanwhile, Dan had been welcomed with a 
great din, and yet his first act was to brush the 
many hands aside and wait for his rival to come 
along. 

“You’d have beaten me easy. Peg,” he told the 
disappointed chum, “except for that little trick 
I played. There wasn’t nearly so much water in 


192 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


my boat as I made out. But it was a lively race, 
all right, and you’re a game one to the bone.” 

Shortly afterwards a number of the boys started 
off with pails. Eddie Grant and his two com- 
rades from the mills realized that since the weather 
was propitious and the harvest of blueberries 
abundant on the island, they must not lose any 
more time than could be helped. 

Just as had been planned by Mr. Bartlett and 
Dick, a number of the other generous campers 
insisted on accompanying the pickers. Eddie ob- 
jected at first, but seeing that the boys were intent 
on going along his remonstrances died away. 

“We want to say we’ve picked a few bushels of 
those whopping big berries ourselves,” said Peg, 
honestly. “It’ll be heaps of fun, you know, and 
give some other fellows an afternoon off to try 
the fishing.” 

“Besides,” added Fred Bonnicastle, just as de- 
termined to be of assistance to the workers in the 
mills, who he had discovered were fine chaps, 
“we all of us like blueberries, and have been dip- 
ping a little into the stock of those you gathered 
on Saturday. We want to make the loss good, and 
feel that we’re returning good measure every 
time. So don’t say another word, Eddie. You 
just can’t shoo us back.” 

At that Eddie Grant laughed. 

“Oh, well,” he said, “now that we know for 


DAN^S NEW IDEA 


193 


sure that a real live monkey is loose on Bass Island 
I reckon there’ll be safety in numbers. If he 
tackles us, six are better than just three.” 

“Oh ! you can’t frighten us by that kind of talk,” 
jeered Peg. “All of us will go with a club in our 
hands, as well as a bucket. And say I perhaps we’d 
better manage to keep within call of each other. 
Seems to me I’ve read about these gorillas carry- 
ing children off sometimes.” 

“Well, that may be worrying you. Peg, but the 
rest of us don’t consider ourselves in the baby 
class,” remarked Phil, at which there was a gen- 
eral laugh in which Peg joined. 

Mr. Holwell took a fancy to try the fishing him- 
self that morning. 

“Not that I lay much claim to being a master- 
hand at angling, you understand, boys,” he apolo- 
gized, when making up the party. “But those bass 
do taste so fine that I’d like to say I had pulled a 
few of them in myself. Once upon a time, away 
back, I can remember as a barefooted boy going 
after bass along the Susquehanna river. Yes, and 
seldom coming home without a nice string, too. 
But in those days my rod was one I’d cut myself 
in the woods; and I had no reel, or even a modern 
snell attached to the hook. But I took the fish.” 

Dick was one of those who went out in the boat. 
Mr. Holwell asked him to join them, for he said 
he would need the advice of an “expert,” as he 


194 THE F. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


neither knew where the bass were likely to be 
found during the hot weather, nor how to manipu- 
late his line when he had a strike. 

“Just as likely as not,” he explained, “I should 
jerk the bait away when by rights I ought to give 
the bass a certain amount of time to turn it in his 
mouth. I know there are a great many things 
connected with fishing that a tyro does not under- 
stand; though when I was a lad I must have been 
acquainted with the habits of the tricky bass, or 
I never could have had the good luck I did.” 

Some of those left ashore had portioned out 
the morning for various tasks or pleasures. It 
was a part of the plan that there should not be 
too much labor attempted while they were in camp. 
They had come all this way from home not so 
much to work, as to have a delightful time, al- 
though certain camp duties had to be observed, 
for those in charge would allow no shirking. 

For instance, Clint Babbett and other photog- 
raphers were allowed to prowl around and take 
as many pictures as they chose. If they pre- 
ferred it, they could learn where certain small 
animals, such as raccoons or opossums or squirrels 
or possibly even a mink, had a home, so that they 
might plan the arranging of a camera and taking 
a flashlight picture of some animal tugging at the 
bait left exposed. 

Then there was Dan. Nobody was to bother 


DAN^S NEW IDEA 


195 


him as long as he wished to sit and ponder and 
figure with pencil and paper. It was known that 
Dan was trying to get up some wonderful scheme 
whereby the monster with the thieving instincts 
of the monkey race might be entrapped and made 
captive. 

Everybody would, of course, feel greatly re- 
lieved could this be attained, and for that reason, 
if no other, the camp director wished Dan to have 
all the opportunity possible to expand his scheme. 

The anglers were not quite so successful as on 
former occasions. Dick knew that black bass 
could be considered whimsical, in that they often 
refused to take any sort of bait, even when the 
wind, the water, and other conditions made it an 
apparently ideal day for fishing. 

“Nobody understands just why they act as they 
do,” he told Mr. Holwell, when the bites were 
few and far between. “I’ve been fishing most of 
the day, with never a strike. Then about four 
o’clock the clouds would come up and the wind 
shift to a new quarter, when it seemed as if every 
bass in the whole lake must be fairly wild to get 
something to eat. You never can count on bass.” 

Nevertheless, they managed to take a few 
good-sized fellows. The fish proved so gamy that 
Mr. Holwell enjoyed their capture immensely. 

“It seems to me the same thrill passes up my 
arm when I feel that fierce tug that I used to ex- 


196 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


perience in those wonderful days of old,” he went 
on to say in a ruminating way, as memory once 
more awakened the scenes long since passed. 

“Do you think the savage feels just so, when he 
brings down his game, or fastens to a big salmon 
or trout?” asked Dick. 

“Well, that’s a question I can hardly answer,” 
said Mr. Holwell. “From my observation I imag- 
ine the only sensation he is apt to feel is gratifi- 
cation over having attained his end, which was to 
provide food to satisfy his appetite. Only 
civilized sportsmen have reached such a condition 
that they fish for the delight of matching their 
skill against the cunning of the gamy denizens of 
the lake. After winning the victory the sports- 
man will often gladly restore the fish to the water 
again unharmed.” 

When lunch was ready at noon the berry pickers 
came trooping in, looking somewhat wearied, but 
all in good spirits. They had full buckets, every 
one, and this meant that the pile of berries would 
be considerably augmented. 

“We intend to try it again to-morrow morning, 
if things look right, and Mr. Bartlett agrees,” as- 
serted Peg, valiantly. “It was great fun, let me 
tell you ! Why, we could have filled two buckets 
apiece if we’d had them along.” 

“Say, did you happen to see anything of our 
friend. Bob?” demanded Dan. 


DAN'S NEW IDEA 


197 


“I suppose you mean the gorilla by that,” re- 
sponded Fred Bonnicastle. “We’re glad to inform 
you that he was only conspicuous by his absence.” 

“And his room was a whole lot better appre- 
ciated than his company,” added Eddie Grant. 
“For one I’m not hankering after running across 
any Old Man of the Woods just now. If he leaves 
me alone I’ll promise not to bother him while we’re 
here on Bass Island.” 

“My sentiments every time,” said Phil. 

When two or three more had expressed them- 
selves as of the same opinion Dan looked pained. 

“Looks as if you were all going to leave it to 
me to grab that monster,” he told them. “And 
make up your minds I can do it, if only some of 
you’ll promise to give me a helping hand.” 

At that several immediately announced their 
willingness to assist. 

“Of course we all want to feel that it’s going to 
be safe for us to wander around anywhere on the 
island, Dan,” said Fred; “and on that account we 
hope you’ll get busy. No matter what you want 
me to do I’ll promise to do it, only please don’t 
ask me to stand and offer to feed the old scamp 
out of my hand.” 

“You won’t have to,” Dan told him. “Fact is, 
it’s a spade you’ll have to use more than anything 
else, a spade and a pick and a shovel, all of which 
fortunately we brought along with us.” 


198 THE F. M. C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Do you mean to dig a grave for the gorilla 
after you get him?” asked Peg. 

“Well, hardly, when we promised Mr. Holwell 
that we wouldn’t hurt the poor creature,” laughed 
Dan. “What I want you to do is to dig a pit 
about ten feet deep, with walls so smooth that no 
gorilla that ever walked on two legs could man- 
age to climb up again, once he fell in.” 

“Oh, so that’s the game I” exclaimed Phil. “A 
pit trap, is it? Seems to me Pve read of them 
in books about life in the jungles of Africa and 
South America.” 

“That’s just where I cribbed the scheme 1” ex- 
claimed Dan. “Don’t you remember, Phil, lend- 
ing me those books that you said used to belong 
to your father years ago? But what’s the differ- 
ence anyway who was the originator of the idea? 
The author of the books got it from the natives 
who were accustomed to catching wild animals in 
pits. As soon as we’re through lunch I want some 
of you fellows to go with me and show what you’re 
worth as diggers.” 

None of them backed out, though all realized 
that their muscles would be stiff and sore before 
a ten-foot pit could be finished. Still, “Rome was 
not built in a day” the minister told them, and they 
must not expect to rush things. Better divide the 
job into two periods, and by the close of the next 
day it could easily be completed. 


CHAPTER XXV 


THE BERRY PICKERS 

That was an unusually long afternoon to the 
‘‘willing workers” in the pit. From the way in 
which every little while one or another would stop 
digging and, climbing out of the hole, take an 
anxious look toward the west, it could be easily 
seen that the diggers were getting weary. 

Dan, of course, noticed it, and chuckled slily. 
He realized that they would stand by him to the 
finish. At the same time he was not above taking 
what he called “a rise” out of Fred Bonnicastle, 
who emerged from the pit oftener than the others. 

So, on one occasion, when about to suggest 
stopping work for the day, he casually remarked, 
as Fred again climbed up out of the hole, now 
some four feet in depth : 

“I guess you think the old days have come 
around again, Fred.” 

Fred looked at him blankly. 

“Oh, the days of the Children of Israel when 
they took possession of the Promised Land, you 
remember,” continued Dan, grinning. 


199 


200 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“rm still groping in the dark. What have we 
got to do with Moses and his followers, when they 
fought with the Philistines?” asked Fred. 

“Well,” replied Dan, drily, “from the way you 
fellows keep staring into the west I just made up 
my mind some of you had begun to believe Joshua 
had come along with us, and that he was again 
commanding the sun to stand still.” At this Fred 
laughed, as did the others. 

“So far as that goes,” acknowledged Peg, “it 
certainly has seemed a coon’s age since we started 
grubbing here. Four hours, with only little rests 
in between when some one spelled me, is going 
some for my father’s son.” 

“Whee ! wouldn’t my folks at home stare 
though, if they could have watched me actually 
workf^ added Phil Harkness, greatly amused. 
“Why, it’s always been the hardest thing going to 
coax me to weed a little flower bed up to now.” 

“Pm sore, all right,” admitted Fred, candidly; 
“but it may wear away by morning. Guess Nature 
didn’t mean me to earn my bread by the sweat of 
my brow. I think after all Fd better take to the 
law, as my dad wants me to.” 

“Perhaps some of the other fellows may want 
to change places with you three in the morning,” 
said Dan, calmly. “My pit is more’n a third com- 
pleted now, though the worst is still to come, for 
every shovel of dirt has to be lifted out, and car- 


THE BERRY PICKERS 


201 


ried away, so as not to excite the suspicions of 
the beast. Let’s call it off, and meander into 
camp.” 

There was much animated talk around the sup- 
per table that night, as Dan and his assistants 
entered into arguments with some of the others. 
It ended in three new recruits offering to do their 
turn in the pit on the following day. 

Fred and the two others did not say much, for 
fear of alarming the volunteers, and causing them 
to back out. At the same time they might have 
been observed exchanging significant winks, and 
the expression on their faces showed satisfaction. 

Nothing unusual happened on that night, though 
some of the boys felt restless. If the prowling 
animal came around no one saw or heard him; 
nor was anything missing when morning finally 
arrived, so far as any one could discover. 

“But that means he’ll be with us to-night, never 
fear,” ventured Dan, with such confidence in his 
manner that every one knew he did not mean to 
abandon his pit-digging. 

The plans for the day had already been laid 
out. Dick had concluded to accompany the berry 
pickers during the morning. He wanted to feel 
that he had had a hand in helping Eddie, Ban and 
Cub accumulate a large store of the berries, for 
they were to be shipped to the market in Cliffwood 
on the following morning. 


202 THE Y. ilf. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Leslie’s father, Mr. Capes, had promised to run 
up on this day in his car, to see what the boys were 
doing. He would spend a night in camp, and 
start back on the following morning. He was 
also to bring with him receptacles in which such 
blueberries as had been gathered could be car- 
ried back to town. 

That was one reason why Dick planned to go 
out with the three mill boys on this mornings so 
as to feel that he had helped give them a half 
holiday. In the afternoon he planned to go fish- 
ing with the trio, for Eddie and the others dearly 
loved all manner of sports, though not able to 
indulge in them as frequently as some of the other 
boys, unless, as usually happened, they took Sun- 
day for their outings. 

There was certainly no lack of the large berries 
on Bass Island. Eddie Grant told Dick he could 
take him to a place they had hardly touched as 
yet, and where their buckets could easily be filled 
in two hours. 

The berry pickers set off, Fred and Peg going 
with the party. 

“We haven’t seen a sign of a snake so far,” 
Eddie remarked, as they walked-along through 
the brush and amidst the trees. 

“Well, since this is an island, and so far from 
the mainland,” observed Dick, “perhaps there 
isn’t a single snake of any kind ’on it.” 


THE BERRY PICKERS 


203 


“I’m glad of that,” ventured Ban Jansen, 
frankly, “ ’cause I’m not any too fond of the crawl- 
ers. My folks told me to keep my eyes peeled 
for rattlers up in this region. I’d sure hate to run 
across one of ’em just when I was in the middle of 
a thick patch of berry bushes.” 

The berry pickers enlivened the time with pleas- 
ant chatter as they pushed along through the 
brush, heading toward the distant spot where 
Eddie had noted the unusually heavily laden blue- 
berry bushes. 

Arriving on the ground the boys began to pick. 
It is slow work at the best, no matter if the berries 
can be fairly stripped off by a deft motion of the 
hand; and they could count on a couple of hours 
at the work if they expected to fill their pails. 

By degrees they would, of course, separate as 
each became absorbed in his own picking. At the 
same time, they had agreed not to drift so far 
apart but that a loud shout would bring them to- 
gether again. 

Dick busied himself. And as his fingers worked, 
so his mind also found employment in going over 
some of the recent happenings that, had served to 
enliven their camp life. 

Among other things he remembered Asa Gard- 
ner. It was nice to know that the poor chap had 
brightened up so much of late. The pitiful ex- 
pression had left his pinched face. 


204 THE Y, ilf. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“He begins to feel now,” Dick was telling 
himself, “that he has really mastered that old 
weakness of his about taking things, whether he 
needed them or not. It was a terrible thing to 
have grip him, and I’m mighty glad he’s won 
out. Besides, he needs all the outdoor exercise he 
can get, so as to throw off that tendency to tubercu- 
losis that runs in his family.” 

Thus Dick was thinking of others as he deftly 
stripped the small twigs of their rich stores. Sud- 
denly he stopped work and stared at the ground. 

“Wheel there’s another of those queer foot- 
prints again,” he muttered. “Seems that the 
monkey likes blueberries as well as any human 
can, or the partridges even. He’s been browsing 
around here all right, for I can see where some- 
thing has cleaned off a heap of branches.” 

The thought that even then the gorilla, or 
whatever it was, might not be far away gave Dick 
a thrill. He was a brave boy, however, as he had 
proved on numerous occasions in the past; and 
this was made manifest when he almost uncon- 
sciously started to follow the spoor of the animal. 

A short distance away he came to a well de- 
fined trail. It looked as though the gorilla must 
have passed along back and forth scores of times. 

Dick stood still and stared. 

“Here’s a find,” he muttered to himself. 
“Chances are ten to one that this leads to his den, 


THE BERRY PICKERS 


205 


all right. A nervy hunter might follow it up and 
come on the big beast in his own quarters; but I 
reckon it would be silly for me to think of doing 
such a thing as that.” 

The temptation to follow just a little way, to 
see where the trail led, caused Dick to start hesi- 
tatingly forward. A gorilla in his native Borneo 
haunt is considered one of the most terrible crea- 
tures known to big game hunters the world over, 
not even excepting the grizzly bear of our own 
country, and Dick’s pulses were bounding, and his 
nerves were on edge, for he realized that at any 
minute he might find himself face to face with the 
animal. 

And, indeed, that was just what did happen, for 
Dick suddenly heard a horrible gurgling sound 
close by, and turning his head found himself star- 
ing at a squatty, hairy figure that looked like a 
misshapen man with amazingly broad shoulders, 
and long dangling arms. 


CHAPTER XXVI 


POACHING ON STRANGE PRESERVES 

“Oh I good-bye!’* 

As Dick gasped these two words he flung him- 
self squarely around, and ran wildly. At the same 
time he listened, with his heart almost in his 
mouth, to ascertain whether the terrible animal 
were chasing after him. Yes, he could catch that 
odd thumping sound so like the roll of a distant 
bass drum. 

The boy ran in the direction that would take him 
close to where his companions were busily engaged 
in picking berries. He did not mean to lead the 
beast so as to include Eddie and the rest in his 
own danger; but he wished to warn them so that 
they, too, might flee from that perilous section. 

When they heard him shout they quickly under- 
stood. Even before that it had dawned upon their 
comprehension that something was amiss, for they 
had caught the noise made by Dick’s frantic pas- 
sage through the bushes. Besides, the booming 
sound from beyond had also been carried to their 
^ars. 


206 


* POACHING ON STRANGE PRESERVES 207 


Now all six were tearing off like mad, and for 
a brief time it seemed as though the berry picking 
must be abandoned for that day at least. Dick 
soon found that they were not being pursued. 
Then the ridiculous character of the wild flight 
broke in upon him, and he laughed aloud. 

This caused the others to feel safer. Surely 
the situation could not be so very desperate if 
Dick, wise Dick, could give way to merriment. 

Eddie Grant joined in the laughter, and Ban 
and Cub, not to show the white feather, followed 
suit, until all of them threw themselves down on 
the ground and tried to catch their breath again. 

There was considerable badgering, for each 
chose to believe that all save himself were panic- 
stricken. Of course, he had galloped along just 
because it was the fashion, and he did not wish to 
be left to face the ugly beast alone. 

When Dick candidly admitted that he had been 
badly scared the others realized that confession 
was good for the soul; and in the end everybody 
owned up. 

“Do we give up the job then for to-day?” asked 
Fred Bonnicastle. 

“Oh! I know lots of other places where the 
berries are just about as thick as off there,” as- 
serted Eddie Grant, who, having undertaken a 
task, however unpleasant, never wished to relin- 
quish it. 


208 THE Y. M,C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Who’s afraid?” demanded Cub Mannis. 

Of course, after all this manifestation of valor 
no one dared hint at stopping work just because 
there chanced to be an escaped gorilla loose on 
Bass Island. 

“We can arrange to keep closer together after 
this,” suggested Eddie, “and have a signal to close 
up in a bunch if the old critter bobs up again. But 
like as not we happened on his private preserves 
when we tackled that batch of berries, and he ain’t 
goin’ to bother us if we keep away.” 

It was natural that the boys remained in a ner- 
vous frame of mind during the remainder of that 
morning. If a bird flew up suddenly, or a branch 
scraped against the trunk of a tree, emitting a 
harsh sound, some of them were sure to take in a 
long breath and stare around uneasily. 

The pails were slow in filling up, too, on account 
of this vigilance and of the fact that the pickers 
stuck close together. In fact, the time dragged 
until it was well on toward noon before Eddie 
announced that his pail was running over. 

“Can’t seem to hold another handful, fellows,” 
he observed. “And as you’re all in the same fix 
I move we start back to camp.” 

“That suits me all right!” declared Fred; and 
not a murmur of dissent was heard, for every one 
was only too glad that the long strain had come 
to an end. 


POACHING ON STRANGE PRESERVES 209 


When the berry pickers told of their experience 
that noon, as they munched the lunch that had 
been prepared, dinner being reserved for the 
evening when Mr. Capes would in all probability 
be with them, the others listened with a sort of 
awe. 

Although, boy like, some of them ventured to 
make fun of the berry pickers on account of their 
panic, secretly they were ready to confess that 
under similar conditions they would have done the 
same thing — would have run wildly. 

“Well, my pit is four-fifths dug,’^ announced 
Dan, proudly. “And if I can get a new shift of 
workers this afternoon I’ll have it done easily, so 
the trap could be set this very night.” 

Several volunteers were immediately forth- 
coming, among others Asa Gardner, who, while 
not as strong physically as most of the others, 
wished to do his share. 

“You see,” he explained to Dan when making 
the offer, “I don’t want to be left out of the run- 
ning.” 

“Well,” observed Fred Bonnicastle, drily, “you 
wouldn’t have if you’d gone off with our bunch this 
morning, I can tell you that. Eh, fellows?” 

Dick, true to his promise, after certain camp 
duties had been performed, went out in one of the 
boats with Eddie, Ban and Cub to try for the bass. 

“We’d like to give Mr. Capes a treat and the 


210 THE Y. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


finest dinner possible while he’s up here over night 
with us,” he told his companions, while rowing 
toward his favorite fishing grounds. “So every- 
body must do his level best to land some big fel- 
lows, if only we can tempt them to take hold.” 

The conditions seemed especially favorable. 
The sun was hidden much of the time behind 
friendly clouds, and a gentle wind blew from the 
southwest, causing a ripple on the water such as 
fishermen delight to see. 

The sport turned out to be excellent, and some 
extra fine fish were taken during the several hours 
the quartette spent at their pleasant task. 

“Let me tell you this beats picking berries all 
hollow,” remarked Eddie, as he played a sturdy 
bronze-backed warrior, and watched the captive 
leap wildly from the water time after time, always 
attempting to throw his weight upon the line so as 
to break the hook loose from his jaw. 

“I never seem to get enough of it,” added Cub, 
all aglow as he, too, felt a savage jerk, and suc- 
ceeded in fastening a mate to Eddie’s fellow, so 
that there were lively times at both ends of the 
anchored boat. 

Indeed, the pleasures of that single afternoon 
were enough to repay the mill boys for all their 
labors. One and all they confessed, when later 
on heading for the camp, that they had never had 
such glorious fishing in all their lives. 


POACHING ON STRANGE PRESERVES 211 


Dan was found in camp fairly palpitating with 
satisfaction. Dick knew before a single word had 
been said that the pit was completed. 

“Come out and see it, Dick,” urged the proud 
architect. And as there was still an hour and 
more before sundown, Dick gladly complied. 

He found that the pit had been neatly covered 
with a matting of slender poles, upon which both 
earth and leaves had been deftly strewn. In fact, 
Dick might himself have stepped upon this dis- 
guising covering only that Dan caught his arm 
and held him back. 

“You see where Fve hung the bait,” he ob- 
served, pointing upward as he spoke. “The go- 
rilla can’t reach it without stepping squarely out 
on the weak platform, and he’ll go plump down 
so fast there’ll be no chance for him to throw 
out those long arms of his and grab a branch 
above. I guess his goose will be cooked all right 
if only he browses around this way to-night, as I 
hope will happen.” 

Dick shook hands with the originator of the pit 
trap. 

“Here’s hoping he comes — and stays, Dan!” 
he said. 

“You like the way we fixed it, then, do you, 
Dick?” demanded the other. For according to his 
way of thinking commendation from Dick was 
always to be accepted as a certificate of real merit. 


212 THE F. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“It couldn’t be better, Dan, and you have cause 
to be proud of your work.” 

They had just returned to the camp when one 
of the boys was heard shouting; 

“There’s a big car arrived across the bay from 
us, where Leslie and Phil are waiting with the 
boat.” 

“Seems to be something of a crowd along,” 
remarked Dan; “I can see the chauffeur all right, 
and Mr. Capes; but there’s another, too. Wonder 
now who he brought up here with him to-day?” 

“They’re fixing some sort of canvas over the 
car, so as to leave it there for the night,” ventured 
Asa, straining his eyes in the effort to make things 
out. 

“Now they’re beginning to get into the boat, 
after the boys have taken aboard some bundles 
that may be containers for the berries,” said Dick. 
“I can give a pretty good guess who that third 
person is, boys.” 

“Mr. Nocker, Dick, don’t you think?” asked 
Peg. “Seems to me he looks kind of familiar, 
with his tall figure, and queer way of walking.” 

“Just who it is,” replied Dick, without hesita- 
tion. “Mr. Nocker has taken the trouble to come 
all the way up here to spend a night with us boys, 
and see how we carry on when in camp.” 

“Just to think of him, doing such a thing,” ven- 
tured Dan, “when only a short time ago he de- 


POACHING ON STRANGE PRESERVES 213 


tested every type of boy, because they reminded 
him of his own son who gave him so much trouble, 
and finally ran away from home and died.” 

‘‘Yes,” interrupted Dick, softly. “But that was 
before Mr. Nocker met his little grandson, Billy, 
and felt a new sensation in his withered old heart. 
Nowadays he loves boys, and can’t do too much 
for them. Forget all about the past, fellows, and 
only remember that Mr. Nocker is now one of our 
best friends.” 


CHAPTER XXVII 


A NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN CAMPFIRE 

When finally the boat arrived at the island 
landing, and the passengers came ashore, they 
were greeted with three rousing cheers by the 
score of lads. Mr. Holwell, Mr. Bartlett and the 
athletic director added their voices to the chorus, 
and then shook hands with the guests, who were 
soon made to feel at home. 

A brush shanty had been erected during the day 
by some of the busy workers. This was to be used 
to house the ‘‘overflow.” It was intended that 
one of the tents should be handed over to Mr. 
Capes. The deacon would occupy a part of it, 
while the chauffeur could be taken care of else- 
where. 

There was a great feast that night, the assist- 
ant cooks “doing themselves proud,” so they de- 
clared, in their desire to let these gentlemen see 
that boys know how to serve as accomplished 
chefs when they are in camp. 

“I don’t remember enjoying a meal so much 
as this in many a long day,” admitted Deacon 


214 


THE CAMPFIRE 


215 


Nocker, when he had to decline any further help- 
ing. 

“That fresh bass was simply delicious,’’ ob- 
served Mr. Capes, smacking his lips, and then 
adding, when several started to try to fill up his 
pannikin again: “Not another mouthful, or I’ll 
be foundered. This takes me away back to the 
days when I too was a boy, and used to camp out. 
I quite envy you, Mr. Holwell, the opportunity 
to spend a week with these fellows.” 

After the meal was finished what a glorious 
time they had sitting around the blazing campfire, 
and talking “a blue streak,” as Leslie called it. 
Scores of things had to be told, all connected with 
the trip, though it could easily be seen that the 
chief subject of all was the presence of the gorilla 
on the island. 

To the surprise of the boys Mr. Nocker, as 
soon as he learned about the animal, declared that 
he could explain where it had come from, though 
probably no one would ever be able to find out 
how the gorilla managed to get to the island, 
almost a mile from the main shore. 

“Last spring there was an accident to a circus 
that was showing over in Hastings,” he went on 
to say, “and some of the animals escaped. I re- 
member that among them was an enormous 
gorilla, though I never learned whether the animal 
had been captured again or not. Apparently he 


216 THE Y, M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


never was, and has found his way up here, to 
frighten a lot of people, and rob their camps on 
the island.” 

“Then that was what you meant, was it, Mr. 
Nocker,” asked Dick, “when you told us to be- 
ware of the mysterious thief while up here on your 
property?” 

“Exactly,” replied the gentleman, grimly. 
“Though it never once occurred to me to connect 
the thievery with the disappearance of the gorilla. 
Some gentlemen I knew came up here when the 
fishing season opened, to enjoy casting the fly for 
the gamy black bass of Lake Russabaga. They 
camped on this island, and had a fine time. The 
only thing that annoyed them was the remarkable 
manner in which through some unknown agency 
various valuable articles vanished.” 

“He seems to like things that have a shine to 
them,” remarked Mr. Holwell, humorously, 
“judging from the fact that he took not only my 
gold watch and Dan’s nickel one, but the aluminum 
frying-pan as well. We don’t believe he could have 
any particular need for that, unless to use it as a 
looking-glass.” 

“Well,” Mr. Nocker continued, “according to 
my recollection those gentlemen from Creston lost 
a field-glass they valued highly, as well as a watch, 
and several other things, that they would surely 
pay a good reward to recover.” 


THE CAMPFIRE 


217 


“That makes me think of something,” Dick 
spoke up. 

“Tell us what it is, then, please?” urged Leslie, 
quickly. 

“The trail I started to follow at the time I 
glimpsed the gorilla standing so close by, was so 
well beaten that I felt sure it must lead to his den, 
somewhere in the thickest part of the jungle.” 

“It stands to reason that would be the case,” 
admitted Mr. Nocker. “I suppose you are going 
to say, Dick, that if the pit trap works and the 
monster is caught, so there need be no further 
fear of him, you mean to follow up that trail and 
find his den?” 

“Why, yes, sir, that was what I had in mind,” 
admitted the boy, modestly. “If he is like some 
monkeys I’ve read about, that had such a weak- 
ness for pretty and shiny things that they stole 
them, he’ll keep his trophies there, and we’ll be 
apt to get back everything that’s been taken.” 

“Thank you for that comforting assurance, 
Dick,” said Mr. Holwell. “There’s a standing 
reward of ten dollars out for the safe return of 
my watch. I’d feel that I was getting off pretty 
cheap at that, for I cherish that keepsake consider- 
ably above its intrinsic value. Then Dan, here, 
is to be heard from also, for he’s in the same boat 
with me.” 

“Ten cents reward, and no questions asked,” 


218 THE F. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


declared Dan, “for the safe return of my dollar 
watch! That’s ten per cent, you know. I only 
hope the rascal hasn’t gone and stowed it away in 
his cheek, as I saw a tricky monkey do when he’d 
hooked a man’s watch right from his pocket.” 

Many times during the evening Dan might have 
been observed listening eagerly. He half fancied 
he had caught some significant sound which indi- 
cated that his expected guest had arrived at the 
trap, and taken the plunge. 

On each occasion, however, he concluded he 
must have been mistaken. At any rate Dan did not 
see fit to ask any one to accompany him thither, 
lantern in hand, to investigate. Indeed, it is ques- 
tionable if he could have found a single recruit had 
he proposed such a thing. The boys were not 
keen to wander far. from the protection of that 
jolly campfire, knowing, as they did, what sort of 
terrible beast was making its home on Bass Island. 

Both Mr. Nocker and Mr. Capes asked so many 
questions that it is doubtful whether anything es- 
caped being told during those delightful hours 
spent around the crackling fire. The evening had 
turned out a bit chilly, too, which made the blaze 
all the more appreciated. 

Then at the suggestion of Mr. Holwell, who 
knew how splendidly the Y. M. C. A. boys could 
sing, they gave a number of their school songs, and 
patriotic airs as well. Dick, learning that the min- 


THE CAMPFIRE 


219 


ister had a special liking for “Onward Christian 
Soldiers,” coaxed Leslie to strike up with his clear 
tenor, and the rest came thundering along in the 
chorus, greatly to the delight of Mr. Holwell, in 
whose eyes dewdrops sparkled when they were 
through. 

“I have heard that inspiring song on many no- 
table occasions, boys,” he assured them, “but I give 
you my word for it, never sung as to-night. Here 
on this lonely island in the vast lake the sound 
seems to roll over the water with telling effect. 
I never before realized how wonderfully charm- 
ing songs can sound on the water. It gives 
them a special value that could not be attained in 
any other way. I shall never, never forget this 
night, and the ones who have entertained us so 
well.” 

Mr. Nocker was almost as enthusiastic in his 
praise. 

“I want to say to you, young fellows,” he told 
them, with considerable emotion in his voice and 
manner, “that I am proud to be reckoned your 
friend in these days of reconstruction. I would 
not go back to the life I used to lead for all the 
money in the United States. Since little Billy came 
into my life it seems as though the scales have 
dropped from my eyes, and the whole world has 
taken on a new and glorious aspect. And I owe it 
mostly to Dick here. God bless him.” 


220 THE Y. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Hear! hear!” shouted some of the lads. 

“The best chum going!” others roared. 

“For he’s a jolly good fellow, which none can 
deny!” chanted Leslie and several of the rest in 
chorus. Nor did the camp director have the heart 
to restrain this boisterous demonstration. 

Dick laughed, and turned red; but, of course, 
he would not have been human if he had not felt 
his heart beating faster than its wont with happi- 
ness, when he realized that these good friends 
thought so well of him, and that Mr. Nocker no 
longer deemed all boys “Sons of Belial,” as he 
used to affirm. 

Much as they enjoyed that evening, the hour 
grew late, and some of the campers were found to 
be secretly yawning behind their palms. So Mr. 
Bartlett said it would be just as well for them to 
consider retiring, as they would want to be up 
early in the morning. 

“Don’t forget we’ve got to have breakfast,” 
he remarked at the same time. “And all that 
heap of fine, hard blueberries must be placed in 
the containers our friends have taken the trouble 
to bring along with them. They wish to make a 
start before the sun gets too high, because it’s a 
long and rough ride to Cliffwood.” 

Dan lingered around while the others were pre- 
paring to seek their blankets. He often cast an 
anxious look off toward the place where his trap 


THE CAMPFIRE 


221 


had been set, and Dick found no trouble in guess- 
ing what his thoughts were. 

“Try to forget all about it until you wake up 
in the morning, Dan,” he told the other. “I’ll 
want to go over with you, remember, to see if 
anything happened while we slept.” 

“I’ll be mighty glad to have you along, Dick,” 
Dan replied. “I reckon I fixed everything just 
right, and if the creature comes snooping around 
and tries to hook the bait hung up out of his reach, 
he’s liable to take a sudden tumble, believe me! 
All right,” he went on, “I’ll turn in, as you say; 
so good night, Dick!” 

Ten minutes afterwards the camp was wrapped 
in silence. 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


WHEN THE PIT TRAP WORKED 

Dick had just succeeded in hurriedly dressing 
on the following morning, after the regular turn 
in the lake, when some one nervously gripped his 
arm. Turning, he discovered, just as he expected, 
that it was Dan with an eager look of anticipafion 
on his face. 

“Dick, you haven’t forgotten, I hope?” was his 
anxious greeting. 

“Oh, no I if by that you mean I’m to go along 
with you to the trap,” answered the other, smiling 
at the look on Dan’s face. 

“You won’t be long, I hope, Dick?” Dan con- 
tinued, pleadingly, as the other turned back toward 
his tent. 

“I’ll join you just as quickly as I can, Dan.” 

“And Dick, did you happen to wake up during 
the night? If so, tell me: Was there any sort of 
noise from that region?” 

“Nothing that I noticed, Dan; though I slept 
sounder than usual I’m afraid. But we’ll soon 
settle that, you know.” 


222 


WHEN THE FIT TRAP WORKED 223 


“Whew ! Fm all in a tremble to find out,” mut- 
tered the other, as he cast another quick glance 
toward the quarter where his thoughts were cen- 
tered. 

Dick took pity on him, and did hurry, even 
postponing some of his customary morning duties 
until later. He found Dan waiting, almost con- 
sumed with impatience. No one noticed them steal 
quietly off, which was just as well. Indeed, Dan 
breathed an audible sigh of relief when he made 
sure of this fact. 

“Course if there isn’t any Old Man of the 
Woods squatting down in my pit trap,” he went 
on to explain as they walked, “we needn’t hurry 
to say anything about it. If anybody happens to 
mention the subject later on I’ll tell ’em I hardly 
expected to strike oil the first thing, and that 
they’ve just got to give me time.” 

Like most boys Dan was very sensitive to ridi- 
cule, as his words proved. Dick said nothing 
further, for already they were beginning to draw 
near the spot where the pit had been dug. 

That Dan was very much on the alert his actions 
speedily proved. He suddenly clutched his com- 
panion rigidly by the arm, and his voice was husky 
with self-suppressed excitement as he gasped: 

“Dick, I do believe it worked after all!” 

“What makes you think so?” asked Dick, who 
had as yet seen nothing to disclose this fact. 


224 THE F. M, C, A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Because the bait is gone!” continued Dan, 
growing more and more excited. “I hung it up 
on that branch you can see moving in the wind, 
and now it’s bare. No danger of its having fallen 
off either. Something’s taken it, Dick!” 

“So? Then let’s move along and make sure,” 
remarked the second boy. 

Ten seconds later Dan made another discovery. 

“Oh! the mat over the hole has been broken 
in, Dick — it certainly has!” he cried in growing 
excitement. 

“Good enough!” his chum observed. “Then 
let’s hope Mr. Gorilla is right now down in the pit, 
waiting for us to come and explain what we mean 
by deceiving a poor old simian in such a mean 
way. Come along, Dan. The chances are you’ve 
caught him.” 

All doubt was removed shortly afterwards, 
when creeping cautiously up the two boys peered 
over the edge of the pit. Most of the covering 
had been dragged down with the heavy descending 
body of the gorilla when he fell in, so that enough 
daylight managed to struggle to the bottom to 
disclose a fearful sight. 

There sat the gorilla, blinking his wicked little 
eyes up at the faces of his captors, of whose pres- 
ence he seemed to be fully aware. He was all that 
Dan had pictured him, short of stature, with an 
immense girth of chest, long muscular arms, and 


WHEN THE PIT TRAP WORKED 225 


squatty lower limbs. Ugly though he seemed to 
the boys, Dick was rather of the opinion that the 
animal could not be quite as ferocious as those of 
his species when met in their native Borneo 
haunts. 

“He must have got used to folks in the years of 
his captivity,” Dick remarked to the shivering 
Dan; “and that’s why he doesn’t take on dreadful, 
now that he understands he’s caught in a trap, and 
will have to go back to his cage again.” 

“My stars!” muttered the entranced Dan, “if 
he’s a tame gorilla deliver me from ever running 
across a real wild one. All the money in the world 
couldn’t tempt me to drop down in that pit along- 
side that old chap. Ugh 1 excuse me I Even the 
thought of it makes me creep all over.” 

“We’ll try not to have any such accident as 
that,” remarked Dick, experiencing a squeamish 
feeling himself at the idea. “And now, what are 
you going to do with Bob, since you’ve trapped 
him?” 

“I’ve figured all that out,” replied Dan. “We’ll 
have Mr. Capes find where that circus proprietor 
is holding out this week. There must be ways of 
doing that, you see. And then he can wire him 
that his gorilla is trapped, and for him to come 
along as fast as he can, with a cage and experienced 
help to get him out.” 

“That’s a good scheme, Dan,” commended the 


226 THE Y, M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLANu 


other, slapping his chum on the back. “And in the 
meantime we’ll have to see that the old fellow 
doesn’t want for his regular allowance of grub.” 

“No danger of his climbing out, is there, Dick?” 

“I should hardly think so,” the other replied, 
after again taking a survey of the deep pit. “The 
only way he could ever do that would be to dig 
holes in the side, and I don’t believe he’s up to 
that game. Anyhow we’ll keep tab of his doings, 
and if we find he’s trying a game like that we’ll 
check him in a hurry.” 

Dan began to take on the airs of a world con- 
queror. The look of anxiety gradually left his 
face, giving way to one of conscious triumph. In- 
deed, it must be confessed that he puffed his chest 
out a little as, in company with Dick, he returned 
to the camp. 

Their coming was noticed, if their flitting had 
passed without comment. 

“Any luck, Dan?” called Andy Hale, who was 
trying to get his refractory crop of bristly hair to 
stay down, always a difficult morning task with 
him. 

“Say, do we have gorilla steak for breakfast?” 
demanded Nat Silmore, trying to be funny, though 
his recent actions had shown that the presence of 
the animal in the vicinity of the camp was anything 
but a joke with him. 

“Oh, well, you can settle that yourself,” said 


WHEN THE PIT TRAP WORKED 227 


Dan, carelessly. “I make a standing offer right 
here and now. Any fellow who cares to drop 
down into that pit this morning may have all my 
coop of homing pigeons free, gratis, for nothing.’* 

The offer caused a sensation. 

“Did you get him, Dan?” demanded Eddie 
Grant. 

“Whoop ! Dan’s trapped the old thief after 
all ! Bully for Dan I” yelled Peg. 

“Did you, Dan, and is the Jabberwock mad 
about it?” asked Andy Hale. 

Even the grown members of the party evinced 
considerable interest in the matter. Mr. Bartlett 
knew that some of the boys, more impetuous than 
wise, would be apt to rush toward the pit in order 
to gratify their curiosity. He wished to warn 
them of the danger involved in carelessness. 

“Mr. Holwell,” he said, “Dan invites us all to 
come and see for ourselves. But before we go I 
wish to tell the boys to be very particular not to 
crowd up close to the edge of the pit. If the earth 
crumbled under any one and he fell in I’m afraid 
he’d never come out alive again.” 

Accordingly, the boys promised to exercise the 
greatest care. Then the whole troop followed in 
the wake of the proud originator of the scheme to 
trap the disturber of their peace. 

Judging from the broad grin decorating the face 
of Dan Fenwick when he looked around once or 


228 THE F. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


twice, it was the happiest moment of his whole 
young life. He could understand the feehngs that 
must have filled the heart of some ancient con- 
queror, when crowned with the laurel wreath of 
victory and watching the strings of captives 
paraded before the throngs filling the public square 
in Rome. 

The captured gorilla must have been quite 
used to seeing human faces about his cage, for 
he never once got up from his squatting position, 
but just blinked up at them, and scowled fright- 
fully. 

“Deliver me from meeting that chap in the 
woods after night sets in I” remarked Clint Bab- 
bett. 

“And Nat, Fm going to ask your pardon for 
laughing at you because you yelled when that mon- 
ster took to playing leap-frog over you,’’ said Peg 
Fosdick, humbly. “If I waked from a sound sleep 
and saw him sailing past I reckon my heart would 
nearly jump out of my mouth with fear. Say, he’s 
the limit !” 

“Look at the muscles in his arms, would you?” 
cried Andy Hale. “Huh ! no wonder he smashed 
that first trap of yours to flinders, Dan. After 
this I can easily believe the stories about a gorilla 
tying a gun-barrel into a knot.” 

The sight of the beast sitting so close to them, 
though unable to do them injury, was so fascinat- 


WHEN THE PIT TRAP WORKED 229 


ing that Mr. Bartlett had to order the boys back 
to the camp. 

“And remember,” he added sternly, “not one 
of you except Dan or Dick must ever approach 
this place without special permission. What that 
rascal might do should any one fall into the pit I 
am not prepared to say. So far we’ve managed 
to get on without any serious trouble; and we 
don’t want our camping trip to be marred by 
tragedy. Please remember those are my positive 
orders, and I shall hold each one of you respon- 
sible for any disobedience.” 

The boys had never seen Mr. Bartlett so ser- 
ious, and his words made a deep impression on 
even Nat and his two reckless cronies. But the 
camp director knew it was no time for trifling; 
and he believed in closing the stable-door before 
the horse was stolen, not afterwards, when it was 
too late. 

Breakfast followed, after which preparations 
were made looking to the departure of the guests. 
All of them declared they had enjoyed their too 
brief stay greatly, and shook hands with each 
member of the camp guard. The berries had been 
placed in the carriers provided and were loaded 
into one of the boats, which Elmer and Peg offered 
to row over to the landing. 

Mr. Bartlett had been privately asked by the 
minister to select Asa Gardner to help Leslie ferry 


230 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


the three guests across to where their car awaited 
them. Of course, Mr. Holwell had an object in 
so doing, wishing Asa to understand that he was 
considered a member in good standing of the 
party, and that whatever the past held in the shape 
of regrets need not bother him a particle now. 

Asa looked quite cheerful. With the capture 
of the thieving gorilla the last doubt had been re- 
moved from his mind. Dick secretly found him- 
self rejoicing with the boy who had had to fight 
so desperately in order to conquer his evil tenden- 
cies. He meant to keep in close touch with Asa 
after this, realizing that the person who has won 
a victory over himself deserves ten times more 
credit than those who have never had to engage in 
a fight with their weak natures. 

In good time the car started back toward Cliff- 
wood, with a long journey before the travelers. 
And across the intervening water came the cheers 
of those who from the distant island watched the 
departure of the guests. A few half wished they, 
too, were starting for dear old Cliffwood. It was 
only natural that a feeling akin to home-sickness 
should for a moment grip their young hearts. But 
all this was soon forgotten, when they began to 
plan for another day of good times. 


CHAPTER XXIX 


CLEARING UP THE MYSTERY 

“Feel like coming with me this morning, Les- 
lie?” asked Dick, after one party had set off to 
fill the pails with berries, and while another group 
was busy catching minnows for bait, as the supply 
had got somewhat low in the reservoir where the 
bait was kept. 

“Count on me if Mr. Bartlett is willhig,” 
laughed Leslie Capes. “And I say that without 
even asking what’s in the wind. I know that when 
you get an idea in your head it’s generally worth 
something.” 

“Listen,” said Dick. “When I saw that well- 
trodden trail the gorilla had made you remember 
I remarked that it must lead to the place he’d 
been using for his den. Now that the old fellow 
is safe, and there’s no danger of meeting him on 
the way. I’m thinking of taking a look-in on his 
home.” 

Leslie was interested immediately. 

“Thank you then for selecting me to go along, 
Dick,” he cried. 


231 


232 THE Y. M, C, A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Just as if you weren’t always first choice with 
me, old fellow,” returned Dick. “But honest. I’m 
curious to find out what sort of place the wily 
old beast picked out for his den. More than 
likely we’ll never know how he got across to this 
island; but we can find out what he’s done here 
in these months since he broke away from the cir- 
cus in that storm.” 

“And,” continued Leslie, “I rather think you 
hope we may be lucky enough to find some of the 
many things the thieving rascal has made away 
with, not only from our camp, but from that of 
the sporting party up here for the fly-fishing earlier 
in the summer.” 

Dick nodded his head in the affirmative. 

“There’s no telling,” he admitted. “Though 
perhaps we’d better not count our chickens before 
they’re hatched. Even if we find nothing, it’ll be 
interesting to follow that path made by the feet 
of the gorilla.” 

“Sure it will,” agreed Leslie, “now that we 
know where the old gent is stopping temporarily. 
If he were foot-free nothing could tempt me to 
meander in that quarter, and take chances of meet- 
ing him face to face in the brush, where running 
would be a hard job. Whee I” 

He shrugged his shoulders to add emphasis to 
his words, and Dick evidently quite agreed with 
his partner, to judge from the look on his face. 


CLEARING UP THE MYSTERY 283 


Some time later on the pair found themselves 
in that part of the big island so well remembered 
by Dick as the scene of his panic of the former 
day. They caught the sound of voices near by, 
and understood from this that Eddie Grant and 
the other pickers had concluded to visit that rich 
harvest field, now that all danger had been re- 
moved. 

“No need of their knowing we’re around as 
yet,” whispered Dick. “So come along over this 
way, for that’s where I struck the well-worn trail.” 

He had made no mistake, Leslie soon learned. 
Even though so soon afterwards compelled to fly 
for his life, Dick had noted the ground, and a few 
minutes later he was pointing down at his feet. 

Both boys examined the earth with interest, but 
their curiosity was so great that they did not care 
to linger long. Following that plain trail was the 
easiest kind of work, for the gorilla had not at- 
tempted to “blind” it in the least. 

At the end the boys reached a sort of strange 
shelter undoubtedly made by the Borneo man- 
monkey. It was fashioned from branches, and 
matted in such a clever way that the boys declared 
it would shed water as well as any thatched roof 
they had ever seen. 

“I never dreamed a gorilla could do such work 
as this,” Leslie said, as they stood and examined 
the shelter. 


234 THE Y. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


“Oh 1” explained Dick, quickly, “from what IVe 
read about them, over in Borneo, where they 
mostly come from, they have their homes in trees 
and make many such shelters so the baby gorillas 
can be kept dry when the tropical rains come on.” 

“Well,” continued the wondering Leslie, “it 
seems that this old fellow hadn’t forgotten the 
lessons of his younger years, even if he was shut 
up in a cage for goodness knows how long.” 

“That can be set down as the instinct,” said 
Dick, “which animals and birds have in place of 
the reasoning powers of the human mind. A wild 
bird can be taken from the nest when it’s just 
hatched, reared in a cage, and if set free will be 
able to construct a nest exactly like those its species 
has been building ever since the world began.” 

“It’s just wonderful, that’s what, Dick! But 
let’s creep underneath and see if we can find any- 
thing of the lost articles.” 

No sooner were they inside the rude shelter 
than both boys uttered cries of wonder mingled 
with delight. 

“Here’s his treasure-chest as sure as anything!” 
yelled Leslie. “Oh, look, Dick! Mr. Holwell’s 
gold watch, and not a bit hurt, either! Won’t he 
be tickled half to death at getting it back? When 
I start winding it up I can hear it begin to work. 
And here’s Dan’s nickel time-keeper too, as well 
as Peg’s precious aluminum frying-pan.” 


CLEARING UP THE MYSTERY 235 


“Yes, and Fve found the field-glasses that other 
party lost, as well as lots of things besides,” added 
Dick, laughing happily, for it really did seem as 
though the very last of their troubles had now 
been smoothed out. 

“This is certainly a great picnic,” asserted Les- 
lie. “Fd like Clint to come and take a good pic- 
ture of this ape-made shack. It’d be well worth 
showing, with our crowd grouped around it as 
evidence that we’ve been here.” 

“I’ll ask Mr. Bartlett to have it done to-mor- 
row, for Mr. Holwell talks of having to go back 
home on the next day!” Dick declared. 

“We’ll all be sorry to see the last of him, Dick.” 

“That’s right,” agreed the other, earnestly. 
“Mr. Holwell is one man among a million when 
it comes to knowing just how to wind boys around 
his finger. But then that’s because he loves boys 
so. No man can have control over them unless 
he is thinking and planning for their benefit night 
and day.” 

“I reckon you’re right there,” Leslie asserted. 
“Boys are a heap like animals. A dog knows by 
instinct who’s his friend. He’ll come up to one 
fellow wagging his tail the minute he hears his 
voice, even if he never saw him before; and growl 
as soon as another chap speaks to him. That’s 
the way with boys — they just know** 

As there was nothing more to detain them, Dick 


236 THE F. M. C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


and his chum set off to find the berry pickers and 
lead them to the strange shelter fashioned by the 
escaped gorilla. 

Great was the astonishment of the mill lads 
when they looked upon the “den,” and learned 
that everything that had been taken from their 
camp, as well as numerous other articles, had been 
recovered. 

That very afternoon all of the campers made 
their way to the spot, and Clint, as well as several 
other contestants for the photograph prize, man- 
aged to get several pictures of the “monkey shack” 
as the boys called it. They took inside views also, 
with the array of recovered articles in plain sight, 
as a reminder of the thievish propensities of the 
big ape. 

Several days later some one was discovered 
making gestures, and signalling from the main- 
land. Upon this a couple of the boys rowed over 
and found that two men had arrived in a sort of 
wagon, that could be also called a cage. 

This was the circus proprietor and one of his 
assistants, who had come to get the valuable animal 
that had been loose so long. The proprietor 
brought a letter from Mr. Capes, as has been 
agreed upon. This told of the reward of two 
hundred dollars which had been offered for the 
capture of the gorilla, and which the proprietor 
had agreed to pay to the boys in camp. 


CLEARING UP THE MYSTERY 237 


After some little time the experienced circus 
men managed to get the gorilla into the cage. 
Dick suspected that they made use of chloroform 
or something of that nature, though he was never 
sure about it, because no one was allowed to ac- 
company them when they went to the pit. 

On the following day the two skiffs were fast- 
ened together, and in this way served as a ferry- 
boat to take the cage and its occupant across to 
where the wagon awaited them. 

The money in cash was handed to Dick, greatly 
to the delight of Dan and the rest of the boys; for 
it had been decided that the reward was to go into 
the club treasury for future needs. 

This was not all the good fortune that came 
their way. Mr. Holwell had insisted in redeem- 
ing his word, and he placed ten dollars in Dick’s 
hand when he was handed his valued gold watch, 
unharmed save by a single scratch that would 
always serve to bring the exciting events of the 
occasion fresh to his mind. 

Not to be outdone, Dan also handed his “mag- 
nificent reward” over, swelling the aggregate re- 
reipts of the treasury by another ten cents. And 
later on, when the sportsmen from Creston were 
communicated with and told the wonderful story, 
they sent twenty-five dollars to Mr. Bartlett for 
the boys of the Clilfwood Y. M. C. A. with their 
compliments. 


238 THE F. M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


Returning again to the afternoon just after the 
ape had been trapped, it can be easily understood 
that there were many lighter hearts in the camp, 
now that all danger of a night visit from the 
gorilla was past. 

Nat and his two cronies in particular seemed to 
have recovered their lost nerve — a fact that Dick 
was none too glad to see, for he half feared Mr. 
Bartlett might have trouble with the trio after 
Mr. Holwell left. Still, as the loyal ones were so 
overwhelmingly in the majority it hardly seemed 
likely that Nat would try any of his tricks, with 
the odds so greatly against him. 

The day finally came when Mr. Holwell had 
to leave the boys. He showed that he disliked 
doing so very much. He had so heartily enjoyed 
himself while among them that he felt keenly the 
severance of those friendly ties that bound him to 
his boys. 

In fact everybody was more or less subdued, 
and no one displayed any ambition to do anything 
until after Mr. Holwell had said good-bye. 


CHAPTER XXX 


BREAKING CAMP CONCLUSION 

Dick chanced to be talking with Mr. Holwell 
on the morning of departure, asking his advice re- 
garding several things that might arise later on, 
when Asa Gardner approached. 

Seeing the boy hesitate the minister smiled, and 
beckoned to him. 

“I’m glad you’re having such a good time up 
here, Asa,” he said in his kindly fashion, as his 
strong hand grasped that of the boy in whom he 
felt such a deep interest. 

“Oh ! I certainly am feeling splendid just now,” 
Asa told him, brightening up. “I was worried for 
a while, as Dick knows, sir, because I had begun 
to be afraid that in spite of all I could do my old 
trouble was getting the better of me. But when 
we found out about that gorilla, why, of course, 
I just knew it couldn’t be so.” 

“Take my advice, Asa,” said Mr. Holwell, 
steadily, “and never allow yourself to believe for 
even a minute that you can go back to the old ways 
again. That weakness is dead, I tell you I It lost 
239 


240 THE Y. M. C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


its grip when you gave your dear mother that 
solemn promise. I knew you would win out, and 
redeem the past; and Fm proud of the way you’re 
doing it, son.” 

Asa should have beamed with pleasure on hear- 
ing this, but then he was an odd sort of boy, Dick 
knew. He was therefore not much surprised to 
hear him give a big sigh, and then go on to say 
with a whimsical smile : 

“Sometimes I do feel that Fve done pretty well, 
sir; and then I think of the story I once heard 
you tell at a meeting of boys.” 

“What was that, Asa?” asked the minister, real- 
izing that the shadow of the past would be likely 
to haunt the sensitive lad for a long while, until 
time had healed the wound. 

“Fll tell you, sir. It certainly did make a great 
impression on me,” said Asa. “There was once 
a boy who got to doing so many bad things that 
his father took him to task. He had him set up a 
nice clean post, and made him promise that every 
time he did a thing that he shouldn’t he would 
drive a nail into it. Then when he did a good 
deed he could draw a nail out.” 

Mr. Holwell knew what was coming, but he 
only smiled, and said encouragingly when Asa 
stopped to catch his breath : 

“Yes, go on, Asa.” 

“One day, sir, as you told us, that boy suddenly 


BREAKING CAMP— CONCLUSION 241 


began to notice that his post was getting pretty 
full of nails. That scared him, and made him 
feel bad; so he set himself to stopping his bad 
deeds, and did things worth while. Then one day 
he took his father out to look at the post. There 
wasn’t a nail left in it, sir. He had drawn them 
every one out I” 

Again Asa gulped hard, and then managed to 
continue. 

“The boy’s father was proud of him, you said, 
because he knew he had managed by his little 
scheme to make the boy think, which was just what 
he had wished to do. So he told him that he was 
pleased to see the post without a nail. And then, 
Mr. Holwell, the boy turned to him and said 
sadly: ‘But Father, the holes are still there!’ And 
that’s the way with me, sir. I seem to have man- 
aged to reform, but every little while I see all 
those terrible holes in the post to remind me of 
what I’ve done in the past!” 

Mr. Holwell patted Asa on the shoulder. 

“Cheer up, my son,” he said, heartily. “It is 
that regret which is bound to make your footing 
sure on the rocks. When any one can forget his 
weaknesses of the past he is in danger of slipping 
again. That conscience of yours is going to be 
your best asset. Don’t fret about what is past, 
but look hopefully into the future. If the chance 
ever comes your way, help some other fellow to 


242 THE Y, M, C. A. BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


get his feet on a firm and sure foundation. Re- 
member, I believe in you, and I have no fear.’’ 

Dick’s hand-grip, too, caused Asa to color. With 
such good friends beside him what boy need worry 
about the future? So the look of foreboding be- 
gan to leave his face from that hour, and Asa 
showed that he could be a good comrade in the 
sports of the camp, as well as in its obligations. 

The campers gave Mr. Holwell a royal send- 
off. The cheers followed him across the water, 
and broke out again when he and Dick started for 
the station, for the latter insisted on accompanying 
him that far on his way, to carry his bag, and have 
a last little talk. 

It was well on toward noon when Dick and 
Asa returned to camp. The boys, together with 
Harry Bartlett and the physical instructor, settled 
down to enjoy the remainder of their stay on Bass 
Island as best they could. There could be no doubt 
about their having a fine time; but all the same 
most of them would miss Mr. Holwell very much. 

Nat Silmore was beginning to grow tired of it 
all. He missed something that he was accustomed 
to having when off on any such trip as this. This 
was the liberty to play pranks without being repri- 
manded by Harry Bartlett or the athletic director. 

So Nat and his two cronies fretted under the 
galling conditions. They would have only too 
willingly accompanied the circus men when they 


BREAKING CAMP— CONCLUSION 243 


went away with the captured gorilla, except for the 
fact that Mr. Bartlett had the return railway tick- 
ets, and the distance was much too far for them 
to dream of trying to walk. 

Nat and his cronies on one occasion refused 
to do their share of the work, whereupon Mr. 
Bartlett promptly gave them to understand that 
those who did not take part in the camp routine 
and daily exercises could not have anything to eat. 
That, of course, brought the rebels to terms, but 
from that time on, while they picked berries and 
chopped wood in turn, and forced themselves to 
play their parts, they kept pretty much to them- 
selves, and looked gloomy, as though counting the 
days when this irksome camp life would come to 
an end. 

With the three mill boys the exact opposite came 
about. They learned that these other lads were 
not in the least snobbish. Then the kindly spirit 
in which most of the boys helped pick berries so 
that Eddie, Ban and Cub could enjoy their after- 
noons in any way they wished, made a deep im- 
pression on the three. 

‘‘One thing sure!” Eddie told Dick, on the day 
before they were to break camp and start back to 
Cliffwood. “You’ll see a lot of the mill boys fairly 
tumble over themselves to join the Junior Depart- 
ment of the Y. M. C. A. when they hear how roy- 
ally we three have been taken care of up here. 


2U THE Y. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


From Mr. Holwell, Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Row- 
land, all the way down, I want to say you’re the 
whitest bunch that I ever traveled with — all but 
Nat Silmore and his pair of black sheep.” 

The last night came, and the camp parapher- 
nalia was pretty well packed up. Mr. Bartlett had 
made arrangements for the wagons to be on hand 
early on the following morning to haul the camp 
material down to the railroad, where it could be 
put aboard the same train which Mr. Holwell had 
taken, coming along about ten o’clock. 

Although they had certainly had a wonderfully 
fine time of it, apparently nobody seemed sorry 
because they were about to start back to Cliffwood. 
Home yearnings had commenced to be felt of late, 
and some of the boys could hardly wait for the 
dawn to break. Indeed, the last night in camp 
promised to be about as sleepless as the first had 
been, judging from their excitement. 

All through their stay keen rivalry had contin- 
ued between those who were entered for the va- 
rious prizes. The result would hot be known until 
Mr. Bartlett and the physical director could have 
a chance to count up the scores and announce re- 
sults. This, of course, served to keep the inter- 
est of the contestants at fever heat. 

There was also the interest in the plan aided 
and abetted by Mr. Bartlett, who contributed lib- 
erally toward raising a certain sum. This was 


BREAKING CAMP— CONCLUSION 245 


presented to the genial cook, whose good nature 
had endured through the entire stretch of camp 
life. 

Mr. Bartlett made the presentation, heartily ap- 
plauded by the boys. 

“Here’s ten dollars we’ve chipped in. Sunny 
Jim,” he said to the astonished cook, whose eyes 
danced with pleasure. “We want you to buy the 
best watch you can find in Cliffwood for the money. 
Every time you look at it think of Camp Russa- 
baga. And I voice the sentiments of every boy 
here when I say we hope to have you cook for us 
again next summer. Give Jim three cheers, lads, 
for he deserves well of us.” 

That was one of the proudest moments of 
Sunny Jim’s life, though he had lost his voice ap- 
parently, so that he could only stand, nod his 
woolly head violently and grin. 

We shall hope to meet Dick and his many 
friends again in the pages of another volume. 
That the seed of his prophecy regarding the 
brightening of Cliffwood’s skies in the matter of 
athletic sports among the younger clement was 
not doomed to fall by the roadside, or among 
thorns that would choke it, can be guessed from 
the title of our next book, which will be called 
“The Y. M. C. A. Boys at Football; Or, Lively 
Doings On and Off the Gridiron.” 

All of the lads were up before daylight on the 


246 THE F. M, C. A, BOYS ON BASS ISLAND 


last morning on Bass Island. The tents came down 
and were hastily packed, while breakfast was be- 
ing prepared. Indeed, a trip across with both 
boats had been made before the campers sat down 
to the morning meal. 

“It’s our last breakfast on Bass Island, boys,” 
said Mr. Bartlett, looking around at the circle of 
eager faces ; “and if I know what I’m talking about 
we’ll all remember for many a day the great times 
we’ve had up here. We hope we shall have good 
luck in developing and printing the pictures, be- 
cause they’ll illustrate our story about the gorilla. 
And last, but not least, we’re glad to know that 
little Josh Jones is well on the road to recovery. 
When we get all the stuff over to the mainland 
we’ll stand around and give dear old Bass Island 
one last jolly cheer. Then it’s home for us. Now 
hurry and finish, for we ought to start before 
long.” 

With this last glimpse of the Y. M. C. A. Boys 
we will draw the curtain and say good-bye. 


THE END 


The Y.M.C.A. Boys Series 

By BROOKS HENDERLEY 

12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. 


This new series relates the doings of a 
wide-awake boys' club of the Y. M. C. A., 
full of good times and every-day, practi- 
cal Christianity. Clean, elevating and 
full of fun and vigor, books that should 
be read by every boy. 


The Y. M. C. a. Boys of Cliffwood 

or The Struggle for the Holwell Prize 

Telling how the boys of Cliffwood were a wild set and how, 
on Hallowe'en, they turned the home town topsy-turvy. This 
led to an organization of a boys' department in the local' 
Y. M. C. A. When the lads realized what was being done for 
them, they joined in the movement with vigor and did all they 
could to help the good cause. To raise funds they gave a min- 
strel show and other entertainments, and a number of them 
did their best to win a gold medal offered by a local minister 
who was greatly interested in the work of upbuilding youthful 
character. 

The Y. M. C. a. Boys on Bass Island 

or The Mystery of Russabaga Camp 

Summer was at hand, and at a meeting of the boys of the 
Y. M. C. A. of Cliffwood, it was decided that a regular summer 
camp should be instituted. This was located at a beautiful 
spot on Bass Island, and there the lads went boating, swim- 
ming, fishing and tramping to their heart's content. There 
were a great many surprises, but in the end the boys managed 
to clear up a mystery of long standing. Incidentally, the vol- 
ume gives a clear insight into the workings of the now Justly 
popular summer camps of the Y. M. C. A., throughout the 
United States. 

Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue 



CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, 


NEW YORK 


White Ribbon Boys Series 

By RAYMOND SPERRY, Jp. 

12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. 



This new series deals with the great 
modern movement for temperance. Clean- 
Cut, up-to-date stories that will please all 
growing boys and girls and do them a 
world of good. 


The White Ribbon Boys of Chester 

or The Old Tavern Keeper’s Secret 

Chester was a typical factory town with its quota of drink- 
ing places. The father of one of the boys was a foreman in 
one of the factories, and he advocated temperance so strongly 
that some of the men, urged on by an old tavern keeper, 
plotted so that he lost his position. One day, when partly 
intoxicated, the tavern keeper’s son climbs in a factory win- 
dow, smashes things, and is badly burned by acid. He is 
rescued by the boys who are advocating temperance, who 
take him to his mother. When the tavern keeper sees the 
condition of his son, he breaks down, and confesses to the plot 
against the discharged foreman. Temperance wins out, and 
the town of Chester becomes far more prosperous than ever 
before. 


The White Ribbon boys at Long Shore 

or To the Rescue of Dan Bates 

In this tale the scene is shifted to the seashore, where the 
boys are having a vacation for the summer. Encouraged by 
the temperance work done in their home town, they join a 
local crusade to close the various drinking and gambling 
houses. They fall in with another lad, the son of a well- 
known drunkard of the summer resort, and do all they can to 
aid him. A good, clean-cut boys' story, full of life and action, 
not at all preachy, but teaching the best of morals. 

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The Motor Boys 

ijrade Mark, Reg. V. S. Pat. Of.) 

By CLARENCE YOUNG 

12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. 


This, the Second Series of the now 
world famed Motor Boys virtually starts 
a new series, but retains ail the favorite 
characters introduced in the previous 
books. The Motor Boys Series is the 
biggest and best selling series of books 
for boys ever published. 


Ned. Bob and jerry at Boxwood Hall 

or The Motor Boys as Freshmen 

Fresh from their adventures in their automobile, their 
motor boat and their airship, the youths are sent to college to 
complete their interrupted education. Some boys at the Insti- 
tution of learning have heard much about our heroes, and so 
conclude that the Motor Boys will try to run everything to suit 
themselves. 

A plot is formed to keep our heroes entirely in the back- 
ground and not let them participate in athletics and other con- 
tests. How the Motor Boys forged to the front and made warm 
friends of their rivals makes unusually interesting reading. 

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UP-TO-DATE BASEBALL STORILS 

The Baseball Joe Series 

By LESTER CHADWICK 
Author of "The College Sports Series” 

12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, 60 cents, postpaid. 


BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS 

or The Rivals of Riverside 

In this volume, the first of the series, Joe 
is introduced as an everyday country boy 
who loves to play baseball and is particularly 
anxious to make his mark as a pitcher. A 
splendid picture of the great national game 
in the smaller towns of our country. 

Baseball Joe on the School Nine 

or Pitching for the Blue Banner 

Joe^s great ambition was to go to board- 
ing school and play on the school team. He 
got to boarding school but found it harder making the team 
there than it was getting on the nine at home. 

Baseball Joe at Yale 

or Pitching for the College Championship 

From a preparatory school Baseball Joe goes to Yale Uni- 
versity. He makes the freshman nine and in his second year 
becomes a varsity pitcher and pitches in several big games. 

Baseball Joe in the Central League 

or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher 

In thi^ volume the scene of action is shifted from Yale Col- 
lege to a baseball league of our central states. Baseball Joe’s 
work in the box for Old Ell had been noted by one of the 
managers and Joe gets an offer he cannot resist. 

Baseball Joe in the Big League 

or A Young Pitcher’s Hardest Struggle 

From the Central League Joe is drafted into the St. Louis 
Nationals. At first he has little to do In the pitcher’s box, but 
gradually he wins favor. A corking baseball story that fans, 
both young and old, will enjoy. 

Baseball Joe on the Giants 

or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis 

How Joe was traded to the Giants and became tlieir mala- 
stay in the box makes an interesting baseball story. 

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